Backfire
by andpaperflowers
Summary: AU Season Four. What if Whitey hadn't stopped Brooke from following Lucas into the school the day of the shooting? Everything changes, and everyone is changed. Brooke-centric, Major BL, NH, and BH, BN, BP friendship.
1. Turning Tables

**Author's Note: I know, I know, I should really be sticking to my one story...but I was watching OTH earlier and realized that Whitey holds Brooke back from entering the school the day of the shooting. So this is my take on what would have happened if she had gotten away. **

Brooke Davis watched powerlessly as her boyfriend released her and began running into the school where she had just told him a gunman was. Her best friend was nowhere to be seen; they had been together just moments before. How did she lose her? How could she be so stupid?

"LUCAS!" the brunette screamed after him, the wind whipping through her hair. She started to take off after him, but was stopped by the firm hold of Whitey. "LET ME GO! I HAVE TO GO IN THERE!"

"Miss Davis," Whitey barked. "Get on the damn bus!"

"No," she growled, ripping her arm from his grasp and sprinting toward the school where the two Scott brothers had just entered.

"DAVIS!" Whitey shouted after her. She kept running, stepping out her heels and continuing her sprint barefoot.

She burst through the school doors and finally slowed down, her heart pounding in every fiber of her body. A killer could be lurking around any corner. She needed to find Peyton and Lucas and get out of here.

She heard footsteps, sudden footsteps, hurrying down the hall toward her. She stopped breathing, stopped moving, stopped everything. The person turned the corner.

"Brooke," Nathan breathed. He was holding a baseball bat.

"Nate," Brooke rushed to him, hugging him quickly. "Where did Lucas go? Have you seen Peyton?"

"Hales is in here somewhere," he said after shaking his head to her question. "I need to find her. Brooke, please stay safe, okay?"

"You too, Nate."

Brooke watched as he rushed off, holding the baseball bat tightly. She felt her stomach twist at the sight, wondering why it was Lucas had taken off so speedily when he heard Peyton was stuck in the building. Not an ounce of relief had crossed his face upon realizing his girlfriend had gotten out of a near death situation. She cursed herself mentally.

"Pull yourself together, Davis," she whispered. "Now is not the time to be a petty bitch."

She heard something suddenly drop and she stopped once more, pushing her body against the wall and taking a deep, slow breath. Footsteps seemed to be walking in the opposite direction. Despite every bit of her reasoning telling her to go in the opposite direction of the footsteps, she followed their echo, walking softly on her bare feet.

She could see him from the back, a bigger kid with a hoodie on, holding a gun out like a predator. She felt nausea begin to rise up in her stomach and she squashed it with several shallow, nearly silent breaths. He turned sharply at the end of the hall and continued on, going into a room. She put a hand over her mouth as she heard it lock. She could only pray no one was in there.

The doors in front of her were to the library, and she dashed into it as quietly as she could. She could hear quiet crying as she entered.

"If I told you I love you, would you hold it against me?" she heard the familiar voice of Peyton ask. She looked around the shelf and watched in horror as her best friend placed her lips on her boyfriend's; and her boyfriend did not resist.

She stood there, silently, waiting for one of them to notice her presence. Peyton was the first to notice.

"Luke, I think I'm going...I see Brooke," she said softly, grabbing his hand and leaning back heavily on the shelf.

"Peyton," Lucas said calmly before turning to where her green eyes were staring. "Brooke!"

She regarded the pair silently, her arms crossed over her chest. She licked her lips, feeling the need to speak, to tell them how much they had just hurt her, how her heart was slowly chipping away in her chest as her shock stopped protecting her, but she couldn't. She was too scared, with a gunman in the building and everyone she loved inside it.

"Brooke," Peyton whispered.

"Shut up," were the only words Brooke could utter. She turned and began to pad out of the library. She turned back for one last statement. "Just so you know, even if all three of us make it out of this place in one piece? You are both dead to me."

"Brooke!" Lucas whispered fiercely, clambering to his feet. "You cannot go out there."

"Watch me," she hissed. She swung open the door and started to walk out.

"BROOKE!" Lucas shouted in frustration.

She turned back, her hazel eyes wide. How could he make so much damn noise when they were hiding from a killer?

"Are you trying to get me fucking killed, Lucas?" Brooke whispered angrily.

"Brooke, please," Lucas pleaded, his eyes filled with fear. "Please, don't do this. Not like this."

"I cannot deal with this right now," Brooke said, running her hands over her hair. "I'm going to find Nathan and Haley."

"Not so fast," a voice said, coming from nowhere. Brooke screamed as she watched a boy she knew to be named Jimmy Edwards stalk toward her from down the hall.

"Jimmy," Lucas said, his voice panicked. "Jimmy, please don't do this. I am your friend."

"You were my friend," Jimmy corrected. "And then you made the team, and started dating this skank," he grabbed onto Brooke and she whimpered as he placed the gun on her temple, "and then you were gone."

"Jimmy," Lucas said again, and his voice cracked with tears. "Do not punish Brooke for anything I did to you. Please. None of this was her fault."

"This was all her fault!" Jimmy yelled, pressing the cold metal harder onto Brooke's tender skin. She took in a sharp breath.

"She didn't do anything wrong," Lucas said, taking a slow step toward Jimmy and his girlfriend. "Trust me, she didn't. If anything, she's been the biggest victim in me becoming someone new."

"How the hell is that?" Jimmy said, tightening his hold on the brunette. "Because it seems to me that this bitch has everything and everyone else fucking suffers."

"She doesn't," Lucas pleaded. "She really doesn't. All I do is hurt her." He looked at her, his eyes full of pain as they met hers. He could tell just from looking at her that she didn't trust him to save her. It was so different from the way Peyton had looked at him the second she realized it was him in the library. "I keep fucking up, Jimmy. I'm a regular guy who keeps screwing things up with a perfectly normal girl who doesn't deserve any of it. Please, Jim, let her go. Don't make me fuck up even more."

Jimmy threw Brooke on to the ground, and she hit the floor with a resounding smack. Lucas took a step toward her, but Jimmy had trained his gun on the blonde. Brooke began to peel herself off from the ground.

"Go," Jimmy growled at her without looking at her. "Leave right now before I regret it."

Brooke looked regretfully back at Lucas, mouthing "I'll get help", before running off down toward the entrance to the school.

"Brooke!" Lucas called after her. She stopped for a moment, walking backwards. "The difference is, I love you, Brooke."

She nodded at him before turning to continue her sprint. She could feel her lungs burning from running and from the tears that were coming down her face. How was she supposed to feel right now? She was terrified. She was hurt. She was angry. She was grateful.

Her feet slapping the ground echoed everywhere. She turned a corner and stopped dead in her tracks. Dan Scott was standing across from his brother Keith, a gun trained on him.

"Don't do this, Danny."

"Keith!" Brooke yelled.

"Brooke?" the other man exclaimed. "Brooke, run!"

Brooke was all ready moving toward him, reaching out to grab his arm out of fear and a need for comfort.

Dan Scott smirked. "We can't have any witnesses now, can we, brother?"

"Dan!" Keith yelled as his brother pulled the trigger. Before he could blink, Brooke had launched herself in front of him, and the bullet lodged itself right in her stomach. She tumbled to the ground just as footsteps could be heard around the corner.

Dan stared at the gun, then at his brother, and took off running out of the school. Keith sunk to the ground beside the brunette, trying to stall her rapid breathing with his over shirt.

"Stay with me, Brooke," he said as soothingly as possible. "I need you to stay awake, sweetie, I'm going to get you some help."

"Keith," Brooke whispered, grabbing onto his hand. Her hazel eyes were swimming with tears, and she bit her lip hard from the red hot pain searing through her. "I-I don't think I...I don't think I can make it."

"You can Brooke, you can."

"No," she whispered softly. "I can't. It...it hurts so bad."

"I know honey, but we're going to get you out of here."

"I need you to tell Lucas that I didn't mean it," she whispered through her gritted teeth before writhing from the pan the effort caused her. "And-and Peyton too. Tell them I-I didn't mean what I sa-said."

"Hello?" Lucas shouted as he rounded the corner. There were marks down his face, as if he had been crying, and he was cradling an unconscious Peyton Sawyer in his arms. "I need help!"

"Luke!" Keith called. Lucas registered his uncle kneeling on the ground, in front of a body. He couldn't tell who it was through his tears. He wanted to drop Peyton, run to his uncle, and cry on his shoulder.

"_Jimmy, just...just put it down okay? We can work this out. Everything is going to be fine. We never stopped caring about you, you know that." _

"_That is bullshit!" Jimmy yelled, Lucas could hear Peyton trying to crawl out of the library. He prayed she wouldn't make it to the doorway. _

"_It isn't. I swear it, Jim." _

'_My life is over," Jimmy choked. "Don't you realize what I've done?" _

"_It's not! It's not too late to stop all of this and get some help!" _

"_It is too late. Sometimes it's just too fucking late to fix it." _

"_NO" Lucas screamed as Jimmy turned the gun on himself. There was a shot, and then blood, and tissue, and teeth..everywhere. "Oh my God. Oh my God." _

_Lucas sunk to the ground, overcome by tears. "No. No. No." _

"Keith, what are you-what-who is-"

"Get Peyton out of here, I've got Brooke."

Keith glanced down to see the brunette's eyes fluttering shut.

"Brooke?" Lucas whimpered. "But...Jimmy was with me the whole time and...and I thought I saved her."

"Get Peyton out," Keith ordered. "Brooke will be okay."

Police burst through the door, an EMT following closely behind. He surveyed the situation, picking the walkie talkie off his belt and ordering backup. Police began to swarm the halls.

"He's dead," Lucas whimpered. "He...he killed himself. Near the library."

An EMT was hoisting Peyton out of his arms and onto a stretcher. Brooke was now surrounded, closed off by the paramedics. Keith was closed out of the circle. Lucas turned and vomited when he took in the blood soaking through his uncle's shirt; Brooke's blood, covered him. His hands were stained with it.

"Brooke," Lucas whimpered. He started to cry again as his uncle led him out, his arm around him.

"Sh," Keith soothed. "It's going to be okay."


	2. The Laws Have Changed

Lucas exited the school and was immediately pulled into a tight embrace by his mother. She was nearly hysterical, holding onto him tightly.

"Lucas, my boy," she cried. "Where's Haley?"

"I'm here," a shaky voice mumbled. Haley was being led by a solemn looking Nathan. "Where's Brooke and Peyton? Nate said he ran into Brooke."

"She was looking for you," Nathan explained. Lucas shook his head, tears falling off of his cheeks unchecked. He didn't have the heart to feel ashamed or embarassed by his open display of emotion. He had just witnessed his childhood friend blow his brains out after threatening the girl he loved. Then, he dragged the girl who he had just hurt said girl with out of the building to find that he hadn't even managed to rescue his girlfriend.

"She was shot," Keith said gently when Lucas couldn't find the words. Lucas had yet to hear the story. "I need to go talk to authorities, there were some events that transpired unexpectedly."

Keith gave Lucas a squeeze and left him with his mother, best friend, and brother.

"There was a lot of blood," Lucas murmured. Karen turned white as a sheet as she realized the blood that was soaking Keith's skin belonged to Brooke.

"Get the ambulance ready!" a paramedic shouted as a team exited the building. "She's in critical, she's gotta get to the hospital."

Lucas let out a whimper like an injured dog, and Haley covered her mouth with her hand. Brooke was being wheeled by them, an oxygen mask over her face. Blood was seeping through the bandages that they had put on her stomach. She looked like death, with her eyes closed and her dark hair fanned out around her.

"Brooke," Haley whispered. "Tigger."

It was hard to believe, that Brooke, her Tigger, could be so very weak. Brooke was full of sparkle, full of light and energy. She was almost unrecognizable. Even asleep, Brooke was always moving and never silent. This was different. This was a cold kind of sleep that she may never open her eyes from, and it chilled Haley to the bone.

"I think what we need to do is head home, clean up, grab some take-out, and go to the hospital," Nathan said, his voice sudden but firm. Lucas looked at him as if he'd grown a second head.

"How can you think about showering and eating right now?" Lucas snapped.

Nathan sighed. "You're dirty and you have bits of blood and guts on you, Lucas. You think Brooke wants that to be her first look at you after all of this?"

Lucas thought about this for a moment before nodding. "I guess that sounds okay."

"I'll drive," Karen said softly, holding her son's hand. She watched as the ambulances squealed out of the parking lot, holding the two girls that she had watched her son love.

Lucas seemed to be restraining himself from tears as Haley finally broke down, the gravity of the situation settling on her. Nathan remained stoic, his jaw tense and his eyes squinting with thought.

Nathan had seen his father enter the building, but he didn't see him exit. Why did Dan run? If Nathan knew his father, which he liked to think that he unfortunately did, Dan would have tried to be the one to save Brooke. Or at least make it look like it did for the news cameras. He was going to figure out where Dan Scott went and why; but that would have to wait. Right now, their friends were more important.

The car ride was silent, their showers quick and hurried. They picked up Chinese food, Haley choking up as she ordered Brooke's favorite, and headed to the hospital. The waiting room was packed with people and nurses were preventing the press from entering the hospital. Karen immediately went to the desk.

"Hi, we're here for Peyton Sawyer and Brooke Davis."

The nurse scrolled through a computer before nodding.

"Brooke Davis is in ICU, Peyton Sawyer is on Floor Three, room 314. Miss Davis can't have visitors yet, but Sawyer can."

"Thank you," Karen said quietly. "Who wants to go where?"

"I'll go see Peyton," Lucas said decisively. Haley's blonde head snapped to stare at him with a growl.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

Lucas reeled at her hostility. "What?"

"Brooke is in ICU and you're going to run off to Peyton, who is obviously in better shape. You are unbelievable."

"I need to talk to Peyton," Lucas ground out. "And they won't let me go to Brooke anyway."

"Whatever," Haley said with a roll of her eyes. "I'm going to see what they can tell me about how she's doing."

"I'm going to go with her," Karen said gently as Nathan gave Lucas a look and followed his wife. "She's going to need an adult to get anything out of them. Whatever you have to say, and whoever you have to say it to, say it Lucas. You might not have much time."

Lucas swallowed the metallic taste that had risen in his mouth and went up to floor three, finding Peyton's room easily. She was sitting up, staring silently at the ceiling.

"Hey."

She looked at him, startled. "Hey."

There was silence.

"Thank you. For, ya know, saving me."

"Of course," Lucas said. "I would have done it for anyone."

"About what I said in the library-"

"Peyton, don't. I'm with Brooke. I am in love with Brooke. What we did last time hurt her so badly, we're both lucky she even looks at us. I can't let that happen to her again."

Peyton looked struck but nodded slowly. "I-I understand."

"I don't want to hurt you, Peyton, and I do love you. As a friend."

"Yeah."

"Peyton," Lucas groaned, sinking into a chair. "You're not the only one who didn't make it out of that building on their own two feet. Brooke was shot, and she's in ICU."

"She was...shot? I just...I just got a big piece of glass stuck in my leg and she was shot?"

"Yeah."

"But...Jimmy.."

"I know. I don't know what happened, Keith was there but he's been at the police station since it all happened. Brooke might not make it, Peyton. And the last thing she must have been feeling, her last words to us..."

Peyton's eyes began to fill with tears. "God, I am so stupid. Brooke..."

"We were both dead to her," Lucas said, his voice choked. "And I need you to understand, Peyton, even if Brooke doesn't make it, you will be dead to me too if you pull something like that again. Brooke means too much to me, and should mean too much to you."

"I thought I was dying-"

"I DON'T CARE!" Lucas screamed. "And neither did Brooke!"

"YOU KISSED ME BACK!" Peyton yelled back.

"I didn't know what to do!" shouted Lucas. "It took me so off guard, Peyton!"

"I love Brooke," Peyton whimpered.

"Apparently not enough," came a voice from behind them. It was Nathan, and his arms were crossed over his chest.

"Nate-"

He held up his hand. "I don't want to know what happened. Whatever fucking drama the two of you created doesn't matter right now. I came to tell you both that Brooke's odds aren't looking good and that she's in surgery right now. She's got about a twenty percent shot of coming out of this alive."

Lucas watched his brother turn and stride from the room, his body tense and angry. He turned to Peyton, his face white. "I need to go."

"Lucas, I'm sorry."

"Me too, Peyton."

"Are we gonna be okay?"

He knew what she was asking. She wanted to know if she, Brooke, and him would be okay.

"I don't think so," he said honestly. She was taken aback by his blunt words.

"She's going to be okay," she said, her voice shaking.

"I wish saying it would make it true," he said with a shrug. His blue eyes were tearing and he swiped angrily at them. "Peyton, the girl I love hated me when she was shot. She might not make it now. And I blame you."

"Luke-"

He let out a humorless laugh. "I might even hate you."

"Please."

"I put you before Brooke one too many times. I came here to tell you that it ends today. Whatever screwed up thing is going on here between us, is over. Brooke deserves better than that, whether she's here or not."

Peyton nodded. "Will you let me know what happens after the surgery?"

He nodded brusquely and left the room, finally allowing himself to collapse in tears further down the hall. He sunk down against the wall, surprised to suddenly make contact with the shoulder of his crying brother.

Nathan wiped away his tears and took a few shaky breaths. "Brooke is my best friend, Lucas. She deserves better."

"I know."

"I don't think you do. I don't think you realize that when Brooke's dad left, I was the one who held her. That I was her first kiss, on the middle school basketball court when we were eleven. That we fought when I started dating Peyton, because she thought she'd become less important to me; and that we fought when that did end up happening. That when you cheated on her, she crawled into my bed and cried. I found her there after practice sleeping, covered in tear tracks. Haley came home and was furious that Brooke Davis was in our bed until she realized what had happened."

"I get it," Lucas growled.

"What I'm trying to say is, I know Brooke. I know she's going to come out of this because she's a fighter. And I also know that you are not going to have it easy with her. Not this time."

Lucas shook his head and slammed a fist against the floor. "I've had enough. I get it, okay? I fucked up again. She's going to leave me. Either she dies, or she lives and she leaves me."

"Fight for her," Nathan said plainly. "Fight for her the second she wakes up, because she will. Otherwise, you don't stand a chance."


	3. Failsafe

Nathan found himself in a garden in the hospital courtyard, unknowingly squinting in thought. He was thinking about his bubbly brunette best friend; thinking about the memories they had shared over the years; they had been friends for about fourteen years, after all.

"_So, you wanna bust outta here or what?" a mischevious little girl with brown french braids asked him. Nathan blinked in surprise, his five year old heart pounding in his chest. They were at the day care center of the Tree Hill Country Club, waiting for their parents to finish with some charity luncheon. _

_"We can't do that! That's breaking the rules." _

_"I'm Brooke Davis," she said with a small smirk. "And I do whatever I want." _

"_I'm not so sure this is a good idea." _

_"Trust me," she said with a small giggle. Her tiny hand found its way into his. She put a finger to her lips. "Just be quiet and follow my lead." _

Nathan spent the next three years being quiet and following Brooke's lead. The first day of kindergarten, she had proudly declared who would be their other friends. Haley James and Lucas Scott had not made the cut at the time, a thought that made Nathan chuckle. He thought of the first time he saw Brooke as an actual person, not a floating bubble of mischief and giggles.

_The first year of middle school was rough. Everyone was awkward, three elementary schools had convened into one school for the next three years, and one of the most daunting tasks of Nathan Scott's life had finally come; dating. He was thinking about one of his friends, a curly blonde named Peyton, when he heard his front door close. _

_"Nate?" a small, scared voice called out into the mansion. _

_"Brooke?" he asked in confusion. He left his kitchen to find her standing in the foyer, wrapped in a ratty sweater of his and a pair of loose fitted jeans. He had never seen her look so messy. There was not a lick of makeup on her face, something he hadn't seen since the first day of sixth grade. Her eyes were red and swollen and she launched herself into his arms. _

"_My dad," she cried. "He's not coming home ever again. He left us, Nathan. For his stupid fucking secretary." _

_That was the first time they ever got drunk; they were sick for days, having taken swigs of every kind of liquor just to cough and splutter and hope the next kind would be better. Nathan held her in their twelve-year-old buzzed state. She bit her lip and she nuzzled into his shoulder. _

_"Nate, can you promise me something?" _

"_Yeah, Cookie?" _

"_Please never dissappoint me. Every other man on this Earth is a liar." _

"_I promise Brooke, I'll never lie to you." _

_She gave him a smile and curled up into him, falling asleep. She did, however, wake up a couple hours later, throwing up all over Nathan's lap. _

He grinned at the memory. He was shaken from his thoughts by a hand slipping under his arm.

"What are you smiling about?" Haley asked, leaning her head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head.

"I was thinking about my childhood with Brooke."

"It's funny," Haley said softly. "I always assumed that your friendship was superficial. And to know how real it is, it makes it even more special that when I came back, she was on my side."

"I was pretty mad at her," Nathan conceded. "Furious, actually. But she put her hands on her hips and stomped her foot and told me that of all people in the world, you made me a better man, and that if I let you go, I would become someone even she couldn't care for anymore."

Haley smiled sadly. "It's weird to think that someone I judged so much for so long turned out to be so completely beautiful."

"She has an amazing heart. I hate to see it broken again."

"What do you mean?" Haley asked in confusion. "Her and Lucas are doing fine."

Nathan shook his head. "Lucas and Peyton kissed in the school. I think Brooke saw it."

Haley didn't say anything for a moment. When he looked down at her, her eyes were furious. "How dare he," she said, her voice low but dripping with anger. "Poor Brooke. I can't even believe...how she must have been feeling..."

"I know," Nathan agreed. "If she doesn't make it through this, I don't know what Luke is going to do."

Haley heaved a sigh. "I'm not saying he deserves her forgiveness, but I can only hope he gets a chance to try."

"So do I," Nathan said grudgingly. Their topic of conversation burst through the glass doors into the courtyard. His words were choked as he stumbled up and stared at them, blue eyes fiery.

"Did either of you know," he seethed. His voice was low but intense.

"What?" Haley asked. "Lucas, what is going on?"

He gritted his jaw. "One of you must have known that Brooke was pregnant with my baby."

"What?" Haley gasped. Nathan looked ill.

"Neither of us knew," Nathan said, his voice faint. How could she not tell him?

"Brooke was shot at the top of her stomach, right under her sternum," Lucas managed to gasp out in his hysteria. "The baby might live, but only if Brooke does. They're worried that trying to keep the baby alive could kill her."

"Luke, I'm so sorry," Haley said, reaching out gently. He shook her off.

"I could have had a baby," Lucas cried.

"You might still," Haley attempted to comfort. Again, he rebuffed her.

"At what price?"

She stared at him, realizing that he was inconsolable. There were no words that could rectify this situation.

"If you guys want to come in," Lucas finally said after tense silence, "they're going to let us see her. She's not awake. She's extremely weak and they may have to operate on one of her lungs,"

Haley nodded and linked an arm through his, despite his harsh treatment of her. He needed her, whether he was ready to admit it or not. Nathan followed from behind, contemplating the events of the day. His mind wandered back to his father. He wondered where Keith was, too. Keith loved Brooke. He'd want to be there for her. Nathan knew Keith could offer Lucas some guidance.

The three reached Brooke's room just as the nurse came out to tell them they could now visit. Lucas took a deep, steadying breath as he slowly walked in. Haley and Nathan walked slowly behind him for support.

"Brooke," Lucas breathed out. She was deathly pale, taking shaking breaths that were nearly drowned out by the beeping of the machines attached to her. He crossed to her cautiously, sitting down beside her. He went to touch her with a trembling hand but thought better of it. He thrust his hands over his short blonde hair and let out a shaking breath. "How did this happen?"

Nathan spoke for the first time in nearly ten minutes. "That's what I'm wondering. Hopefully Keith can tell us something when he gets here."

Lucas nodded. Haley was standing against the wall, her face deathly pale.

"You're sure there's no way Jimmy shot her?" Haley asked softly.

"Positive," Lucas said firmly. "He let her go, and she ran off. He killed himself just a couple of minutes after, and I was with him the entire time."

"So there was someone else with a gun in the building," Nathan thought out loud.

"That's the scary part," Haley commented. "There was someone else in there. Jimmy must have not been acting alone."

Nathan couldn't shake the feeling that his father had something to do with this, but he kept quiet. The last thing they all needed right now was a conspiracy theory.

"She has to be okay," Lucas said out of the blue after minutes of silence. "She can't-she can't die thinking that I love Peyton. She can't die angry with me, wanting me dead."

Haley's eyes flashed with anger and then pity. Now was not the time for anger. "You know that that's what is so beautiful about Brooke. She's the most forgiving person I know."

"But where does she draw the line? How much is too much? How many times is too many?" Lucas questioned. His eyes had yet to leave Brooke's face. "I said I would never let her go again. I did."

"You haven't let her go," Nathan said in sudden and unexpected support. "You're here, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Lucas conceded. "I guess you're right."

"She's going to make it," Haley said firmly. "She's going to make it. And maybe you two will have a baby. Maybe you won't. Maybe you'll get married, maybe you'll break up in the next few months. But she's going to wake up, and you'll have that chance. That chance to explore all of the possibilities."

Lucas bit his lip as tears flooded his eyes for what felt like the thousandth time that day. He could only hope.


	4. The Bleeding Heart Show

Peyton stared up at the ceiling. She felt numb. All of the fear and anxiety she had felt inside the school was gone; now she simply felt numb. She could feel the implications of her actions weighing on her. Why had she gone and done that? How could she have kissed her best friend's boyfriend; again.

"Hi," a blunt and sudden voice said from the door. Peyton jumped but relaxed when she saw Haley.

"Hey," Peyton replied with a soft smile. It was wiped off her face when she saw Haley's expression.

"I just want to know, Peyton, where do you get off?" Haley said. "You were such a bitch to me when I came back. But you run around, kissing your best friend's boyfriend for a second time, telling him you love him, _destroying _the one girl who has always been there for you. And that's okay to you? Persuing my dream was a sin, but you're pure as snow, aren't you Peyton?"

"He's my dream," Peyton argued, but her words fell flat. Haley laughed.

"And you wanna know Brooke's dream? Brooke wants to be a fashion designer and have a family. Lucas isn't her dream. Because she is strong and brave and independent."

"I get it!" Peyton suddenly shouted. "She's better than me. Lucas rubbed that in enough already."

Haley shook her head. "You could make selfless choices like Brooke does. You just choose not to. She took a bullet for Keith today. She might not even make it. And by the way, she's pregnant."

The color drained from Peyton's face rapidly. "What?" she breathed.

"Yeah. She is. But they don't know if keeping the baby alive is going to slowly kill Brooke because of her blood loss and internal bleeding."

"What do you mean?" Peyton gasped.

"They gave her a blood transfusion, but Brooke's body is letting all of that blood go to providing the baby with oxygen and nutrients instead of herself."

"Oh my God," Peyton gasped, putting a hand over her mouth.

"I just hope you realize what you did," Haley said, her voice sad and resigned. "You broke her right before she was shot. She could die now. She will have died broken."

Peyton shook her head. "That's not true."

Haley thought for a moment. "You know what, you're right. Brooke wasn't breakable. But you hurt her. And that should be enough to keep you up at night."

With that, Haley walked away from the quietly crying blonde. She didn't feel an ounce of guilt in her heart for the things she had said. Brooke had taken care of Haley; now it was Haley's turn. She reflected on a moment they had recently shared.

"_I'm happy to see the Naley train arriving back at the station," Brooke teased as Nathan walked away from them before school one morning. _

_Haley rolled her eyes but beamed. "I am too. I couldn't be happier." _

"_I'm glad my best friend found a girl like you," Brooke said. Her tone was serious, a rarity for Brooke Davis. "You're so smart, sweet, funny, caring, and just...gorgeous. Really, truly gorgeous, Hales. I'm really glad he has you in his life. You're two of the best people I know, and you deserve each other." _

_Haley pulled Brooke into a one armed hug. "Who are you and what have you done with Brooke Davis?" _

_"Oh please," Brooke scoffed. "As if anyone else's ass could pull off these pants." _

_Haley laughed and shoved her lightly as they walked to class. _

When she reached Brooke's room, Nathan and Lucas were both gone. She sat in the chair next to Brooke's bed and heaved a sigh, rolling her head back.

"You just had to make a dramatic exit, didn't you, Tigger?" Haley drawled. She smiled crookedly. "If it were anyone else, I'd say I shouldn't be making jokes right now. But it's you. And you would have called Lucas a girl for crying, and asked Nathan where his purse was. You'd be mad, if we all spent the day moping around, wouldn't you?"

Brooke was silent, perfectly still. "I bitched out Peytwhore for you. We all knew that was a long time coming though. She drives me nuts sometimes. But I do believe she loves you, Brooke. We all love you. She just...has a really fucked up way of showing it, huh? I promise I won't go around kissing your boyfriend cause I love you."

Haley chuckled now, shaking her head. "Remember when you first started dating Lucas, and Nathan and I were fairly new, and you got sketched out?"

_A knock on the door broke Haley from her train of thought as she scribbled away at Calculus. Sighing, the girl got up and opened the door, surprised to find Brooke Davis on her porch. The brunette's pretty eyes were narrowed, arms crossed against her chest. _

"_Hey, Tutor Girl. We need to talk." _

"_Okay..." _

"_Look, I just wanna get something straight here. I get that Lucas is your best friend. You probably don't like me very much. In fact, I know you don't. But I'm not just some dumb slut okay? I don't have like, a 6.7 GPA or whatever you have, but I'm Brooke smart. And I need to know if you have feelings for Lucas." _

_Haley laughed. "Excuse me?" _

_Brooke's tough girl exterior fell, and Haley suddenly saw the insecure little girl that hid underneath all the flashy clothing and thick makeup. "It's just...last night, I saw Peyton with Lucas, and it looked like they were...dating. And after his accident, you had started crying and he held you in this way...I'm just...I'm a little scared. I'm new at this." _

_"Brooke, you've had plenty of boyfriends." _

"_Not ones that have mattered," the other girl mumbled. She scuffed her foot against the ground and bit her lip. She looked up at Haley with sad hazel eyes. "I didn't mean to come on so strong. And I guess...I also wanted to look out for Nathan. He's had plenty of other girlfriends, but none like you. None that have meant so much." _

_Haley cocked her head to the side. "You really think I mean a lot?" _

_Brooke smiled. "I know so. I know Nathan Scott like a back handspring. The boy is in love, and I couldn't be happier for him. I just wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to be competing with his brother over a girl again." _

_"Again?" _

__

_Brooke wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Peyton. God, I hate that he liked her so much. Anyway, I should go. I just...sorry. This was weird." _

_Brooke started to walk away, and Haley couldn't help but stop her. _

"_Brooke!" _

_The brunette turned, and for a minute, Haley could have sworn she looked fragile. _

_"Peyton was a fantasy he made up in his head. You were totally different than what he thought he wanted; but you turned out to be a great thing for him. I mean that." _

_Brooke beamed and practically skipped to her Bug. That was the first time Haley had ever wanted to protect the heart of Brooke Davis; it wouldn't be the last. _

"I thought you were kind of a bitch," Haley laughed. "But then I realized that you were a lot like Nathan; you were just a girl playing hard to get. With everyone."

There was more silence, punctuated mockingly by the beeping of the monitors.

"This isn't fair, Brooke. This is when you're supposed to say that Lucas was the one playing hard to get. You're supposed to be saying things like you'll name your kid something outrageous because you can. Because you're Brooke Davis, and no one would dare make fun of your kid."

"They wouldn't," came a raspy voice, suddenly. Haley jumped from her seat.

"Brooke! Oh my God, Brooke!" Haley leapt at her, and the girl winced and let out a small scream.

"Watch out, Hales," she managed to groan.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry, Brookie."

"So I guess you all know now," Brooke said weakly. Haley gave her a small half smile.

"Yeah, cat's outta the bag, Tigger. I need to go get your doctor."

"Is Peyton-" Brooke started.

"Peyton's all right. Just glass in her leg. You, on the other hand, got shot."

"And Lucas?" Brooke asked softly.

"Lucas is fine," Haley nodded. "Just scared senseless."

Brooke nodded and put her hands to her stomach.

"I can only hope this little buddy is, huh?"

Haley smiled. "Welcome back, Brooke."


	5. Make It Up

While Brooke was waking up, Lucas and Nathan were across town at the police station where they had been called to give their witness accounts. Lucas's knee was bouncing up and down as he numbly recounted his story, too anxious to really feel anything other than worry for Brooke and his unborn child.

"You boys are free to go," the investigator said after about twenty minutes of questions. "Thank you."

The brothers nodded and emerged from the room, running in to a haggard looking Keith.

"Keith!" Lucas exclaimed. "Where have you been?"

"Questioning," the older man said tiredly. "I was the one with Brooke."

"What happened?" Nathan asked. "It couldn't have been Jimmy."

Keith took a deep breath. "I need both of you to promise me that you won't do anything rash."

In that instant, Nathan knew. He knew what his father had done. He nodded to Keith in agreement as Lucas did the same.

"Dan shot Brooke."

Nathan closed his eyes and took in a shaking breath. He felt his limbs go numb at the implication of what this would mean. He opened his eyes to glance over at his brother, who was sinking slowly into a chair, his face pale and shocked.

"What?" Lucas breathed.

"Dan has completely snapped," Keith explained calmly. "He came into the building with a gun, angry at me for taking his life, the life he for some reason decided he wanted with you and your mom."

"But...Brooke?" Lucas mumbled, running his hands over his head. "I don't understand."

"Brooke was running down the hall right as he pointed the gun at me. She jumped between me and the bullet."

"She's pregnant," Lucas whispered, looking at his uncle with a helpless expression.

"We don't know if she or the baby are going to make it," Nathan said, as it was apparent that Lucas wasn't going to be able to say it. "I should turn my phone back on and call Hales, see if there's been any changes."

Lucas nodded as his uncle sat beside him and put his arm around him in comfort. Nathan turned his phone on and hit the first speedial, surprised at the sudden chirpiness in his wife's voice.

"Nathan!" she greeted. "Brooke woke up!"

Nathan beamed and turned to Lucas. "She woke up, Luke!"

Lucas's face lit up and he immediately leapt up. "We need to get there right now. Tell Haley I'll be there soon."

"Luke and I are on our way," Nathan said as he, Lucas, and Keith began to rush from the police station.

"Okay," Haley said. "They're doing exams on her right now but they should be done by the time you get here."

"How does she seem?" Nathan asked nervously.

"She's weak," Haley said honestly. "But it looks like she should be okay."

"Does she know about the baby?" Nathan asked. Haley paused.

"Yeah, she knew she was pregnant."

"Was?"

Lucas's blue eyes snapped to stare at his brother intently as he got into the front seat. 

"She knew she was pregnant during the shooting," Haley explained. "They're checking the baby now, so we'll see."

Nathan nodded and ended the phone call. He turned to Lucas to explain. "They're checking out the baby now. Apparently Brooke did know she was pregnant."

Keith's face furrowed in guilt. "I'm sorry, Lucas. It all happened so fast, I couldn't stop her."

"It wasn't your fault. That's Brooke for you. Selfless to a point of dangerous."

Ten minutes later Lucas came running down the hall of the ICU, Nathan and Keith jogging behind him. Haley was waiting outside of Brooke's room, her hands tapping nervously on the sides of the chair.

Haley stood and kissed her husband, wrapping her best friend in a quick hug. "They still haven't come out yet."

Lucas ran a hand over his mouth, his brow furrowed worriedly. The group stood silently for several minutes until a doctor came out. He nodded at them seriously. "You can see her now."

All eyes turned to Lucas.

"Maybe you should see her alone," Nathan suggested.

Lucas took a deep breath before nodding in agreement. "I'll come get you later."

He watched them walk away before slowly entering the room. The beeping from the machines sounded overwhelmingly loud in the silence as her eyes met his. There were tears building up in them and her body shuddered as she tried to hold back sobs.

"Brooke..." Lucas croaked, stepping forward tentatively.

"They don't know," Brooke said by way of explanation. "They don't know if the baby will make it to term. Or if it will be fully developed if it does."

Lucas took this in, running his hands over his hair. She continued. "They're giving me forty eight hours to decide if I want to...if I want to terminate it."

Lucas's eyes grew wide. "Do you-is that what you want?"

She shook her head, tears finally slipping down her face. "They think that the baby might kill me. They think it's going to absorb all of my strength. They can't fix the tear that developed in my uterus without killing the baby."

"What does that mean?" Lucas asked. He could feel the room start to grow smaller.

"It means," Brooke said with a shaking breath, "that I might die if the baby kicks too hard or something. It might rupture my uterus and I would internally bleed to death. The baby could die too, if it wasn't developed enough to survive outside of my body."

Lucas sunk into the chair beside her bed, putting his head in his hands. "Brooke, I'm so sorry. Whatever you want to do for you, I'll support you."

She wiped her tears away. "I knew you would say that. What do you want?"

"I hate to say this," Lucas said slowly, "but maybe you should...terminate."

"What?" Brooke snapped.

"We can have more kids," Lucas pleaded, grabbing at her hand. She ripped it from his grip. "I can't get another you, Brooke."

Her eyes narrowed. "I got shot, Lucas. I don't have amnesia. Don't think that I don't remember what I saw in that library. I think we both know you'd have no problem moving on."

"Brooke," Lucas said desperately. "You know that isn't true. I'm sorry I didn't save you. I'm sorry that I didn't stop this. But I want to make sure you'll be okay."

She shook her head. "I'm keeping this baby. You can be a part of its life, but I don't know if I want you in mine."

"What?" Lucas breathed. "Brooke, please don't do this."

They locked eyes, and the tears that rapidly began to fill both pairs threatened to spill over. "I don't know what else to do. It's one thing to let you destroy me, but I can't let you destroy this child. I need to protect both of us."

"I'm not going to destroy either of you," Lucas begged. He was openly sobbing now. "Brooke, you've got to give me a chance."

She looked away from him and up at the ceiling.

"I can't deal with this right now."

"Brooke-"

"No. Lucas. I need you to go."

She turned over, and he saw the effort she was making to prevent her shoulders from betraying her image of strength. He shook his head, looking up toward the ceiling to try to stop his tears before turning and walking out.

He knew it was killing her to make him leave. He was going to make sure that he would be there for her and their baby.

He would save them both this time.


	6. Ballad of a Comeback Kid

_A little blonde girl sat in the dirt underneath the swingset, sniffling as she tried to hide her tears. She was staring at the bloody scuffs developing on her knees. _

"_Are you okay?" a small voice asked. _

_Peyton nodded feebly in response. Instead of going away, the little brunette girl plopped down next to her in the dirt. _

"_What happened?" _

"_I was-I was on the swing and then-then Theresa wanted to go on it so she pushed me off and I got real-really hurt." _

_The small brunette stood quickly, her hands on her hips. "That is not fair." _

_Peyton watched as the other girl stormed over to the sandbox where Theresa was playing with Bevin. _

_"HEY!" she yelled. Peyton watched and giggled as Brooke dumped a bucket full of sand over the other girl's head. "Don't ever push anyone off a swing again. You got it?" _

_Peyton Sawyer decided right then and there that she wanted Brooke Davis to be her best friend. Luckily for her, Brooke Davis had decided the same thing. _

Peyton sighed as she lay down on her bed at home. She had been released that morning from the hospital; she heard that Brooke was awake, but that was the extent of her knowledge. She stared around the room, her mind sending her back to being eight years old and lost.

_Eight year old Peyton sat on her bed, knees drawn up to her chest. Her arms were wrapped around her legs as she stared blankly at the wall across from her bed. Scuffling sounds from outside her door broke the silence. She looked up to see Brooke coming in nervously. _

"_Hi Peyt." _

_"I don't want to talk to anyone." _

"_I know," Brooke said with a little nod. She moved to sit beside Peyton. She leaned back, laying down. Peyton reluctatntly followed suit._

"_I figured we could just lay here," Brooke said softly. She reached over and gently took the blonde's hand. _

_Peyton sniffled. "I can't believe she's gone." _

_Brooke bit her lip, holding back tears herself. "She's never really gone, Peyton. She'll always be in your heart, and in you." _

_Peyton gave her best friend a watery smile, squeezing her small hand and continuing to stare at the ceiling in silence. She fell asleep for the first time in days, since her mom died. _

Peyton ran her hands through her hair as the tears began to fall, remembering her friendship with Brooke and thinking of how she had irreparably damaged it.

_"PEYTON!" Brooke screamed, chasing after her down the hall. Peyton reeled on her. _

"_What the hell, Brooke? Why are you all over my boyfriend?" _

_Fifteen year old Brooke crossed her arms over her chest. "My dad came back last night. Nathan is just trying to help." _

_Peyton rolled his eyes. "He always helps you over me. He always will." _

"_You know it isn't like that," Brooke argued. "Peyton, we both love you. We would never do anything to hurt you." _

_Peyton scoffed. "Please. Everyone says that you two belong together." _

"_Just like everyone says you belong with Lucas freaking Scott!" Brooke exclaiemd, throwing her hands up. "And unless you plan on hooking up with your boyfriend's half brother, it looks like everyone is wrong!" _

_Peyton considered this for a moment before chuckling and shaking her head. "I'm sorry for being a bitch." _

_Brooke giggled in relief. "You wouldn't be my best friend if you weren't." _

Peyton limped over to her dresser, where she found a picture of her and Brooke stuck in the mirror from junior year. Lucas had taken it when the usual five had been hanging out at the Rivercourt. Brooke and Peyton were sitting in the middle of the court, Brooke's arm slung around Peyton's neck as usual. She was making a Billy Idol face, while Peyton was giving her best awkward kindergartner smile. She remembered that day and a ghost of a smile began to dance on her features.

"_Remember when we were young?" Brooke had asked. "We thought we had it all figured out." _

"_We're seventeen, Brooke. We're still young." _

"_I mean younger. Like, middle school. You were going to marry Nathan. I was going to be the maid of honor. I was going to marry Hot Cousin Cooper. Now look at us." _

"_You're dating Lucas Scott, and I'm alone. Sounds about right." _

_Brooke looked at her with a furrowed brow. "Peyton, you are NEVER alone. You will always have me, no matter what happens." _

_Peyton gave her a smile and drew her into a hug. "I know, . Couldn't get rid of you if I tried, could I?" _

_"Damn right, Goldilocks." _

_"Aw," Lucas teased. "I need a picture of this tender moment." _

_Brooke flipped him off before grabbing Peyton and making a ridiculous face. When Lucas showed them the picture later, Brooke declared it the epitome of their friendship. _

Peyton's phone began to ring, breaking her from her reverie. "Hello?"

"Peyton," Nathan said. "I thought you should know that it looks as though Brooke is going to be okay."

Peyton sighed in relief. "Thanks, Nate."

"Where did we go so wrong?" he asked suddenly. Peyton was stunned into silence for a few seconds before finally replying.

"I have no idea. Somewhere along the line, the three of us managed to get lost."

"I'm mad at you, Peyt. I really am. But the three of us, we've been through so much together. Way before Lucas or even Haley were in the picture. It was us against the world. Brooke's going to need us."

Peyton laughed humorlessly. "Brooke wants me dead."

"She asked about you," Nathan said gently. "When she woke up, apparently one of the first things she asked was if you had made it out okay."

Peyton felt her heart swell with hope. "Really?"

"Really. Haley was kind of pissed," Nathan laughed.

Peyton couldn't help but crack a smile. "Maybe there's hope for me yet, huh?"

"Maybe," Nathan replied wryly. "She's going to be released tomorrow, and she'll be staying with me and Hales. You should come see her."

"I don't know about that..."

"How are you ever going to make it right if you don't try?" Nathan asked. "You can either spend your whole life avoiding what you did, or the rest of your life making up for it. You decide."

Nathan hung up, leaving Peyton reeling once again.

**Backfire**

Brooke opened her eyes in the hospital, awaking from a nap. Her hazel eyes widened as she saw what had become of her room. Much like her locker at school, Lucas had pimped her hospital room. Photos of them dangled from fishing line from the ceiling. Quotes were scrawled on pieces of paper. She grinned as she saw "People who are meant to be together always find their way in the end" dangling near her. The whiteboard with her medical information had been erased, and in its place were the words "Pretty Girl and Boyfriend, True Love Always".

"You win this round, Lucas Scott," she whispered.

"Do I hear my name?" Lucas asked as he entered the room. He was grinning as he handed her the latest Vogue. "I thought you could use some reading material."

"Not _Winter of Our Discontent?" _Brooke asked with a smirk.

"I couldn't let Steinbeck bring ya down."

Brooke smiled at him before remembering why it was she was so mad at him. She took a deep breath and tried to push it to the back of her head. Like it or not, she was carrying his baby. There was no escaping that they were now tied together forever.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" Lucas asked. He was obviously becoming jumpy.

"No," Brooke said softly. She flipped through the magazine idly.

"I'm sorry, Brooke."

"Don't," she snapped. "Stop it. The more you apologize for it, the more I have to think about it."

"I just need you to know that I don't love Peyton," Lucas rushed. "I never have. I never will. You're the only girl I've ever loved."

"I don't want to hear this right now."

"But you have to," Lucas said desperately. "If you don't hear it now, you'll never hear it. Every second that goes by, I see your walls go up more and more. I'm racing against your defenses, Brooke, and I've got to get through to you before you're impossible to reach."

She stared at him, shocked. "Lucas-"

"I can't lose you," he said fiercely. "And I'm going to do everything possible to prove to you that I _am _the guy for you, Brooke Davis."

"What if I'm not the girl for you?" Brooke whispered. Lucas grinned crookedly and put a finger under her chin, turning her face to look at him.

"That's impossible. You're the _only _girl for me. Who else could be the Cheery to my Broody? Who else could get me to go to a bar with a fake ID? Who else would tell me to go to hell without a backward glance? Who could ever write me eighty six letters? And who else would I write them back to?"

Brooke opened her mouth to interupt but he kissed her softly, cutting her off.

"And who else could I make my third embarrassing speech to?" he said huskily. He stood and left the room, leaving Brooke staring after him, a small smile appearing on her face.


	7. Simple Twist of Fate

"What do you mean, they can't find Dan?" Lucas exclaimed angrily. He was sitting in the cafe with his mom, uncle, and brother discussing Brooke's circumstances.

Keith breathed in deeply before continuing. "He appears to have gone on the run. They're doing everything they can to find him, but the police don't want to draw too much attention to this. They don't want him to know they're on to him."

Nathan nodded seriously. "That makes sense. He won't know if they know where he is if the news isn't covering it."

"Exactly," Karen said. She reached out to pat Lucas's arm. "I know you're angry and you want justice. But the police will find him. We all know that Dan Scott is no criminal mastermind."

Lucas and Nathan exchanged looks, unconvinced.

"How is Brooke?" Karen asked. "I've really got to get over to see her."

"You're always welcome," said Nathan.

"She's pretty much the same," Lucas replied to his mom. "She just needs a lot of rest and has to be really careful cause of the baby."

Lucas still nearly flinched every time he said the word "baby" in front of his mom. She had been furious with him but buried it because of the circumstances.

"And how are things between you and Brooke?" Keith asked pointedly. Lucas sighed and looked at his hands.

"It's looking up, but I think it's going to take a lot of time."

"I'm glad you're doing the right thing," Karen smiled. "I'm going to pack up some food for you to bring her, Nathan. And some for you and Haley, too, of course."

"Thanks, Karen," Nathan smiled gratefully. Keith went to go help Karen, clapping his nephews on the back.

"Look, Luke, I think we should find Dan ourselves."

"My thoughts exactly, little brother."

"I'm going to start by looking at his house. And we need to find a way to get into his office at the City Hall."

"I'll figure that part out," Lucas nodded.

"Your girlfriend is high maintenence," Nathan teased. "Please get her back so I can stop waiting on her every whim."

"Gladly," Lucas smirked. "Like I said, it's just a waiting game. I'm not going to screw up this time."

"You better not," Nathan said solemnly. "Because as her butler, I double as a hitman."

Lucas laughed and Nathan continued. "You know, Peyton was going to stop by today to try talking to Brooke. I had Haley stay to clean up after Brooke kills her."

Lucas furrowed his brow. "C'mon, Nate, you couldn't seriously think them talking is a good idea."

"You scared?" Nathan challenged.

"No!" Lucas defended. "I'm worried about Brooke, and it upsetting her when stress could literally kill her right now."

Nathan's mouth formed a perfect "o". "Oh. Shit."

"Yeah," Lucas agreed. "Text Hales, see what's up."

Nathan did as he was told, and quickly received a response. "A lot of tears, a bit of yelling, seems to be okay actually. I heard laughter," he read.

"You sure that's not Brooke's triumphant, murderous laughter?" Lucas asked nervously. Nathan chuckled.

"Brooke is a lot more mature than you give her credit for. She's taking this baby thing really seriously, and she's willing to do anything to keep it alive. Even forgiving Peyton."

Lucas seemed hesitant. "I just worry. I think that Brooke rushes into forgiving people even when she's still upset. It ends up just making things worse."

"What's your next massive display of affection?" Nathan asked.

Lucas grinned and held up a set of keys, much to Nathan's confusion. "I talked to Rachel. I guess her and Brooke talked after the shooting and are working on putting things past them, so she offered to let me take Brooke to her family's cabin in the mountains."

"That's pretty cool," Nathan admitted. "But how do you plan on getting her to agree to that?"

Lucas gave his brother a pleading look. "I was hoping she would agree if you and Haley were there, too."

Nathan sighed but smiled. "I guess there are worse things you could ask me to do than go on vacation with my wife."

Lucas clapped Nathan on the back. "You're the best. I'm gonna go bring Brooke her next letter."

"Still doing that?"

"I'm doing anything I can."

Nathan watched his brother go and felt himself swell up a little with pride. Sure, Lucas had done a lot of things wrong. But he was doing anything in his power to not become like their father. Nathan frowned at the thought of Dan Scott, who had shot his very best friend. He had always regarded his father as a cold, calculating monster, but never as someone who would shoot an innocent teenage girl.

It would be fine, though. He and Lucas would get their revenge.

**Backfire**

"Pretty girl!" Lucas called as he entered Nathan and Haley's apartment. "You've got mail!"

He froze as he stared into the kitchen. Brooke was sitting on the counter with a gallon of ice cream, tears rolling down her face.

"Brooke, what's wrong?"

"Stupid fucking whore," Brooke said viciously, stabbing at the ice cream with her spoon.

"I don't know what kind of ice cream you buy, but I don't think your dessert has a sex life."

Brooke looked at him sardonically. "You know what who I'm talking about, Lucas."

"Didn't go well, then?"

"It was going okay," Brooke said, and her voice was miserable. "Until she suggested that the baby is Chris Keller's."

Lucas froze, his mouth slightly surprised. Brooke burst into tears again.

"Great. Now you think it, too."

She hopped off the counter and went to stalk off toward the bedroom. Lucas grabbed her hand gently to turn her around.

"First of all, you forgot your ice cream," he smiled. "And second of all, I know it's not Keller's. I was just shocked she would suggest something like that."

Brooke pouted. "Everyone thinks I'm just a stupid knocked up slut."

"I don't," Lucas said immediately. "I think you're amazingly brave. I think you're a gorgeous, intelligent, amazing woman who is all ready shaping up to be an amazing mom."

Brooke smiled at this, her tears beginning to try. "You really think so?"

Lucas thumbed at them, wiping them off her face. "I really do, Brooke Davis."

She smiled sweetly and squeezed his hand. "Thank you, Lucas. I'm gonna go get some rest."

"Sweet dreams, pretty girl."

It was when Brooke awoke from her nap that she finally opened the letter that lay on her bedside table. She took a deep breath, unfolding it and beginning to read.

_My dear Brooke, _

_ Josiah Gilbert Holland once wrote, "The most precious possession that ever comes to a man in this world is a woman's heart". I am truly the owner of the most precious possession in the world, because I have been given the most beautiful heart. You are so many things, Brooke. You're charming and you're funny. You're classy and you're incredibly sweet. You're loyal and you're brave. You're bright and you're smart._

_ When I was first told by a doctor that you were pregnant, I was floored. I was sitting outside of your hospital room while you fought for your life, and I'm told that I've been given this amazing gift; but that I might lose it. That's how I feel when I think about the mistakes I've made. That I was given the most precious gift, and that I was blind enough to nearly lose it. But I swear to you, Brooke, that I will never let it out of my sight again. _

_ I could not think of a more remarkable woman to have my child. I'll never forget you staring up at me, fire in your eyes, absolutely refusing to even consider not having this child, even at the risk of your own life. That's the kind of person you are, Brooke. You give others life, even at the expense of your own. _

_ I want you to know that there is no one else that I could ever be with, not once I've had the remarkable, wonderful, astounding enigma that is Brooke Penelope Davis. _

_ I love you, Brooke. I've got miles to go before I sleep, I suppose, but I know that I will eventually come to rest in your arms. We're inevitable. People that are meant to be together always find their way in the end. _

_ Love Always,_

_Lucas_

"You okay, sweetie?" Haley asked, concerned.

"I'm great," Brooke smiled, and she was radiant. "I'm really, really great."

"I'm the first person to say that I don't think he should be forgiven quite yet," Haley smiled, "but I've got to admit, the boy is really trying. He's fighting for you."

"_What I wanted? I wanted you to fight for me. I wanted you to say that there is no one else you could ever be with and that you'd rather be alone than without me!" _

_"How was I supposed to know that?" _

_"You just are." _

Brooke smiled at the memory now, thinking of the fact that apparently, he did just know now. He was finally learning what she needed from him. And thank god for that. If he had taken any longer, it might have been too little too late.


	8. This Tornado Loves You

**Finally updated! I'm not exactly happy with this. I kind of lost direction with this story, so if there's anything you'd like to see, please let me know and i'd be more than happy to take it in that direction haha. I also wanted to say thank you to all of you who have been reading this and leaving such great reviews. It always puts a smile on my face to read them. So here ya go, another chapter of Backfire! **

Brooke and Haley hauled their bags out of the apartment, grins on their faces. Lucas and Nathan carried them down the stairs with ease. The four were going to Rachel's cabin for an entire week. The prospect of a vacation in the woods had put Brooke in a great mood. Despite still having to take pain medication, she was improving rapidly.

"What did you pack in here, bricks?" Nathan teased as he lugged Haley's suitcse. Haley blushed.

"Brooke rubbed off on me."

"Of course she did," Lucas grinned, lifting up Brooke's equally cumbersome luggage.

Brooke smiled. "Okay, so, luggage, check. Car, check. Road trip mixes, check. Snacks, check."

"Let's do this," Nathan wooped from the parking lot. They piled in to the car, Lucas driving, Brooke n the front, and Haley and Nathan in the back. Brooke's roadtrip mix was first up. A sugary pop beat filled the car, and the other three occupants groaned.

"Oh shush!" Brooke admonished. "This is fun!"

Despite themselves, by the third song, they were all shouting the lyrics and bouncing up and down in the seats. Something about Brooke was infectious.

It took a few hours to reach their destination, and by the time they reached the beautiful cabin, they sleepily stumbled up to it, hardly awake enough to acknowledge it's beauty. Brooke finally snapped out of it as they opened the door. Her eyes widened as she observed the beautiful space.

"Damn," she breathed. "Slut has a nice ass house."

"Be nice," Haley said. "She let us stay here for a week without her."

"Who knew Tutor Girl would defend the girl who goes after her husband!" Brooke teased.

"You're right," Haley chirped. "Girl's a whore."

Brooke burst out laughing and grabbed her best friend's hand. "Come on! Let's go explore."

The boys watched in amusement as their girls raced around, chattering excitedly and giggling.

"Lucas!" Brooke exclaimed. "Come on!"

He was dragged off by the whirlwind that was Brooke Davis. He chuckled lowly, watching her bounce around on a gigantic bed. It was covered in fluffy, pure white pillows and comforters. A transparent goassamer canopy hung above it. Brooke laughed, sinking into the fluffy fabric.

"Broody, we have got to stay in this room."

Lucas's blue eyes widened. "You seriously want me to stay with you?"

She rolled over onto her stomach with the smallest of grimaces. "Lucas, I'm pregnant with your baby. I think we can handle sleeping in the same bed."

"I just figured that you wouldn't want to be that close to me," Lucas mumbled. Brooke sighed and patted the bed near her.

"Come sit. Let's talk."

He sat and she watched his knee bounce with anxiety. She smiled a little. "Luke, I don't hate you. You have to know that I still love you. And you're really doing everything right, trying to win me back."

Lucas looked at her, eyes full of hope. "Really?"

"Yeah," she said with a soft, dimpled smile. "You really are. I know you haven't been talking to Peyton. I heard you told her off. And I really, deeply appreciate that. I really needed that. I didn't even have to tell you. You finally understood that I needed you to stay away from her."

Lucas nodded. "I just want you to be happy, pretty girl."

"I know," Brooke said. "And I am happy. You've been making me really happy. The letters, the little things like bringing me my favorite Chinese food and making sure I have all my school work."

"I'm really glad I'm finally doing some things right," Lucas said, his smile a little heavy.

Brooke sighed, reaching a hand up, tugging him down so that he was laying with his face next to hers, their bodies facing opposite walls. She pressed her lips against his gently, smiling a little at their positioning.

"That was way Toby McGuire circa Spiderman," Brooke giggled as she pulled back. Lucas was looking at her with pure shock.

"Brooke-"

"We're back on the right track," Brooke smiled. Her hazel eyes widened suddenly, running off to the bathroom attached to the room. She didn't have time to shut the door before vomiting into the toilet.

"Didn't realize I was such a bad kisser," Lucas joked softly as he pulled her hair back. Brooke glared at him when her stomach was empty.

"Not funny," she groaned. "Curse your offspring."

"It takes two," Lucas replied, kissing her forehead. She leaned into him, exhausted.

"What would you say to a nap?"

"I've domesticated you, Davis," Lucas smirked. He hadn't been this happy in nearly a month. Brooke was finally his again. Well, mostly. He scooped her up, his heart leaping as she let out an overjoyed little squeal, wrapping her arms around his neck. It had been so long since he had been able to hold her.

He gently lowered her on to the bed, kissing her softly before tucking her in and sliding in beside her. His eyes widened as she threw her tank top and jeans onto the floor. She began to tug at his clothes.

"Brooke-"

"Oh relax, you sissy," Brooke teased. "Jeans are scratchy and our clothes smell like car."

Lucas grinned and slipped his off. Brooke snuggled into him and he relished in the feeling of their bare skin making contact for the first time in what felt like forever.

"I love you, Brooke," he whispered into her hair. "And I know that right now, things are still uncertain between us. But I really do love you. And I love this baby," he said, lovingly stroking her still flat stomach. "I can't wait for our future. I can't wait to have a kid with your smile and my eyes, who laughs like you and broods like me."

"I could do without the brooding," Brooke laughed. He shivered at the feeling of her warm breath on his neck.

"I just wanted you to know that this is all I've ever dreamed of," Lucas muttered to her. "It happened a little earlier than we had both dreamed," Brooke scoffed at this, "but I don't care. I'm not going to let this ruin the fact that I'm excited about this."

"Thank you, Lucas," Brooke sighed contently. "I really needed to hear that."

"Get some rest, love."

He watched Brooke drift into sleep before slowly closing his eyes and succumbing to his own dreams.

It wasn't untiil hours later that he awoke to whimpers and stirring beside him. Brooke was tossing and turning, her body clammy and her face crumpled in worry.

"No," she murmured. "Please, no. Stop. Please."

"Baby, wake up," Lucas said gently, softly kissing her on various parts of her face to wake her. Her eyes snapped open with a gasp. She clung to him desperately, taking short, shallow breaths.

"It's okay," Lucas soothed. "It was just a bad dream. I'm right here. No one's going to hurt you."

Her breathing calmed and she looked up at him with a tired smile. "I'm gonna hop in the shower. Can you bring my suitcase in here for when I'm done?"

"Sure thing," he said. Brooke stood and began making her way to the bathroom. Lucas viewed her nearly fully expoed body for the first time in a while.

"God," he breathed. "You're beautiful, Brooke Davis."

She giggled and blushed a little before shutting the bathroom door. Lucas grinned, slipping into his clothes and going to get her suitcase.

"Lucas Scott!" Haley hissed when he walked by her and Nathan in the living room. "How dare you! I go to find Brooke and you've all ready got her into bed with you! You know she isn't ready for that!"

"We were sleeping!" Lucas defended.

"Why were you both half naked?"

"Because Brooke didn't want to be uncomfortable," Lucas laughed. "Haley, I didn't make her do anything she didn't want to. In fact, she suggested we sleep together this week and even kissed me. Al l on her own."

Haley looked at him skeptically. "You're my best friend, but break her heart, and I will break your jaw."

"All right," Lucas laughed. "You have my word."

He dragged Brooke's suitcase and his small suitcase back to their room. He could hear her singing from the shower and closed his eyes, grinning as he realized what song she was singing.

"Come on, skinny love, just last the year. Pour a little salt, we were never here," Brooke sang. Her raspy voice was sweet and soft, and he lay back in bed, reveling in the sound, inhaling the sweet flowery scent of Brooke.

She came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a small white towel, her hair hanging limply around her face. "Oh god," she groaned. "Did you hear my poor vocal performance?"

"I thought you told me Bon Iver was too angsty," he teased.

"Well it was on that CD you gave me of angsty music that you listened to when you realized you wanted me back," Brooke said, sticking her tongue out. "And I liked it."

"Knew you would," he shot back, reaching out and pulling her onto his lap. She squealed as he kissed her nick softly. He watched her shiver at his touch and grinned.

"Woah there Tiger," she joked, wiggling out from his grasp. "Give it a couple days." With a wink, she pulled clothes from her suitcase and went back in the bathroom, leaving Lucas beamed, falling back onto the pillows.


	9. Last Friday Night

The next morning, Brooke dragged a sleepy Haley into the jacuzzi with her for some "girl time".

"So I know it's really early to ask you this," Brooke said slowly. "But I wanted to ask you if you'd be the baby's godmother."

"Brooke!" Haley exclaimed, looking positively overjoyed. "I mean, are you sure? I know you and Peyton are rocky right now-"

Brooke cut her off with a shake of her head. "I'm positive. Peyton always said that people always leave. And when all those people left, I was the one to pick up the pieces. She was never there when people left me. And she was one of them, after all. But you've been there all along, Hales, and that means the world to me."

Haley launched herself at Brooke, hugging her tightly. The brunette laughed.

"I take that as a yes?"

"Of course, Brooke," Haley answered, beaming. "God, I am so glad you didn't choose Peyton."

"I don't want my baby to grow up a backstabbing, two faced bitch," Brooke teased. "I'd even rather it wear those hideous ponchos-"

"Hey! Those ponchos were cool!"

"Sure they were, Tutor Wife."

Haley rolled her eyes, laughing. "So you and Lucas..."

Brooke sighed, rolling her head back to look at the clear morning sky. "We're working on it. It's a little hard to resist love letters and speeches and ice cream."

"You've got me with the ice cream," Haley agreed. Brooke splashed her, giggling.

"It's just hard, ya know? I don't know if I can let go of how I felt in that school."

"We never really talked about it," Haley said. "What exactly happened?"

"I had gotten out," Brooke explained. "But when I found Lucas and told him I lost Peyton, he went running back in after Nathan. Whitey tried to hold me back, but I got away and chased them both. I ran into Nate and we wished each other good luck. I found Peyton and Lucas in the library, and I walked in right as Peyton asked Lucas if she told him she loved him, would he hold it against her. Then she kissed him, and he didn't push her off. When Peyton pulled away, she thought she was dying because she saw me. I flipped out and told them both that even if we all survived, they were both dead to me. Lucas tried to stop me from leaving the library but then Jimmy showed up."

Haley was listening attentively, reaching over to squeeze Brooke's hand comfortingly.

"He was angry at Lucas for not talking to him after he joined the Ravens. Turned out he blamed me for that, mostly. He grabbed me and had his gun pressing into my head. Lucas talked him out of it. He said that if anyone had been hurt the most by Lucas since he became popular, it was me. He told me to leave, so I ran off as fast as I could, but then I stumbled on Dan and Keith, and Dan went to shoot Keith, so I jumped in front of him. Next thing I knew, I was in the hospital."

"And you knew about the pregnancy all ready?"

"Yeah," Brooke said softly. "I had found out the night before. I took a pregnancy test. I didn't want to tell Lucas until I was sure. I was waiting for him to come back from the away game to tell him, but then things got complicated, obviously."

"That's insane, Brooke," Haley commisserated. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Brooke shrugged half heartedly. "There are worse things."

"You got shot, Brooke."

Brooke laughed at that. "Okay yeah, that's true."

"Please promise me you'll be careful with this pregnancy," Haley said seriously. "I can't lose you, Tigger. And I don't want to lose my little godchild either."

"I promise," Brooke smiled softly. "Thank you for caring about me, Hales."

"You make it hard not to," Haley grinned back. The girls fell into comfortable silence.

"Remember when we had that sleepover with Peyton and Anna?" Brooke said suddenly.

"Of course. God, that was fun."

"It really was. But I was thinking that I had so much more fun with you when we had that O.C. marathon."

"I have to say, that was probably one of my favorite days."

"Mine too."

"I can't believe I'm going to have a baby. I know nothing about babies, Haley. Like, I haven't been around a baby since I was one. And even then, I'm pretty sure I didn't like other babies."

"Brooke, I doubt you were some kind of baby elitist."

Brooke rolled her eyes. "You've never met my mother and father. I don't think either of them have a parenting gene in their bodies. Ergo, there's no way I have any."

"First off, nice use of ergo. Secondly, I'm sure you do, Brooke. Remember when we had that community service cheer class for the elementary school? You were great with them."

"I can teach a kid how to cheer," Brooke conceded. "I could teach a boy how to get a girlfriend and be a good boyfriend. I could teach a girl how to look pretty and how to be popular. But I couldn't teach them right from wrong. Or how to read, or how to write."

"That's what kindergarten is for," Haley shrugged. "At least your baby will be hot."

"Shut up!" Brooke laughed. "I'm trying to be serious!"

"Brooke, I am fully confident that you'll be a really great mom," Haley said, her tone serious now. "A year ago, I would have said that you wouldn't be. But whether you realize it or not, you mother all of us all ready."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Don't stress yourself out over it. You're going to be great, and so is Lucas."

"Thanks," Brooke smiled. They were cut off by the boys joining them, each clutching two cups.

"We made smoothies," Nathan grinned cheekily.

"Down!" Brooke exclaimed, snatching hers from Lucas. He laughed, kissing her quickly, sinking into the water beside her and putting one arm around her.

"You were gone when I woke up," Lucas said. "I didn't realize you were capable of being up before eight!"

Brooke rolled her eyes and shoved him, but she was grinning. It was easy to pretend, sitting in a jacuzzi with her two best friends and her boyfriend, that things were the same as they had been. That they hadn't all been involved in a horrible shooting, that Lucas hasn't kissed Peyton, that there was no potentially fatal pregnancy.

"What do you guys wanna do today?" Nathan asked.

"I was thinking we could go to the lake," Brooke suggested. "We could pack a little lunch, Rachel's got a boat down at the dock, one of the pontoon things."

"That sounds great," Haley agreed. "God, it's beautiful out here, isn't it?"

The four of them took a minute to enjoy the view of the sparkling lake and the lush green trees. It really was absolutely gorgeous. Lucas's cell phone, which was tucked in the towel he had brought out, broke the silence. All three friends pinned him with joking stares. He looked at the screen in confusion, still chuckling at the expression on his friends' faces as he answered.

"Hello?"

His blue eyes widened slightly and he suddenly got out of the jacuzzi, walking off toward the back door of the house, glancing back only slightly. Brooke's brow furrowed.

"It's probably Karen," Nathan said awkwardly.

"I bet!" Haley said, a little too enthusiastically.

"It sounded like you-know-who," Brooke pouted.

"Voldemort?" Haley giggled.

"Volde-who?" Nathan and Brooke chorused. Haley rolled her eyes.

"Harry Potter? Anyone?"

"Dork," Brooke teased, just as Nathan said "Nerd."

"Jocks," Haley teased back.

"Says the cheerleader," Brooke pointed out, causing Haley to splash her again.

The three friends continued to laugh and joke for nearly fifteen minutes before Brooke finally decided to go check on Lucas. Wrapping herself in a towel, she walked toward the house. He was in the living room, pacing, his back to the door.

"Come on, Peyton, please-"

Brooke didn't want to hear anymore. She didn't want to go back inside and have to walk past him, but she didn't want to go back to the jacuzzi either. Realizing she was better off just rejoining her friends, she slowly made her way back, attempting to look unaffected.

"Who was it?" Nathan asked.

Brooke swallowed hard, sinking back into the water. Haley looked at her with concern.

"Brooke?"

"It was Peyton," Brooke whispered. "Still is, actually."

Haley was up and out of the water in an instant. Nathan and Brooke both rose to follow her, alarmed. Haley stormed into the house, spinning Lucas around. He hardly had time to react before his childhood friend punched him square in the face.

"What the fuck, Haley?" he shouted, holding his jaw. The phone had fallen to the floor. She grabbed it and hung it up, throwing it at him.

"I told you," she growled, "you break her heart, and I break your fucking jaw. Come on, Brooke,"

Brooke sheepishly followed the furious Haley, keeping her head down. She couldn't look at him. She knew she would just start crying.

"Brooke, wait, please-"

Lucas went to pursue her, but was cut off by Nathan, who stepped in front of him.

"What the fuck, Lucas?"

Lucas sighed, gritting his teeth. "Peyton flipped out. She was going on and on about the baby being Chris Keller's, and saying that she was going to get a hold of him to get him to come back to Tree Hill for a paternity test."

"You're kidding."

"I wish I was," Lucas groaned. "I was trying to talk her out of it because Brooke doesn't need that stress."

"Ciao, bitches!" Brooke shouted as she and Haley shot out the front door, slamming the door behind them. Both brothers exchanged exasperated looks.

"I'm sure they just went shopping or something," Nathan said, his voice sure. "They'll be home soon."

Hours later, they were not home.

"I'm getting worried," Nathan admitted. "Haley turned her phone off. Brooke's is here."

"They'll be home soon," Lucas mocked sarcastically.

"It's getting dark," Nathan continued, ignoring him.

"Let's walk into town and find them," Lucas finally said. Nathan agreed and the two set off.

It took nearly half an hour, but they finally reached town. They realized that "town" consisted of a grocery store, a hardware store, and a bar.

"No," Nathan groaned, staring at the bar.

Lucas shook his head. "They wouldn't."

"You're right. I'm sure they've been hanging out at Hank's Hardware all day and night."

"Brooke is pregnant."

The boys exchanged a look before bolting into the bar.

"She doesn't look it," Nathan said slowly, pointing to the bar.

Haley and Brooke were both on the bar, dancing wildly. One of Brooke's favorite songs was playing. Lucas groaned as she kicked her bare foot in the air before gyrating down to the bar and rolling her body upward. Several decidedly male cheers went up as Haley and Brooke continued their suggestive partying, shouting the lyrics.

"LAST FRIDAY NIGHT, YEAH I THINK WE BROKE THE LAW, ALWAYS SAY WE'RE GONNA STOP-"

Lucas finally lost it when he saw a large hand wave some kind of money at his girlfriend. Nathan followed with the same intent. The brothers pulled their startled girlfriends off of the bar. Haley was giggling wildly, but Brooke was evidently sober.

"What the fuck are you thinking?" Lucas shouted over the music. Brooke glared, hands on her hips.

"I'm dancing, actually."

"You're drunk!"

Brooke looked seriously offended. "I'm fucking pregnant, you idiot. I would never drink."

"That's why I did!" Haley screamed, throwing her hands up. "I drank for two cause she's eating for two!"

Brooke glared up at Lucas. "Anything else you wanted to ask me? Or wait, is Peyton calling you again?"

Lucas rolled his head back in exhaustion and frustration. "Brooke, come outside so we can talk."

"No thanks."

"Brooke-"

"Bye bye," she said in a mockingly sweet tone, turning to climb back on the bar.

Lucas grabbed her around the waist, hoisting her up.

"Put me down you cave man!" Brooke screamed, kicking her legs furiously at the air. Several patrons turned to help her, but Nathan held up a hand.

"He's her boyfriend, I swear."

"He's a cheater but he is her boyfriend," Haley slurred.

"Oh god," Nathan said. "Hales, you're a mess."

"You like it," she said, pulling him into a sloppy, passionate kiss.

He pulled away grinning. "Can't argue with that."

Outside, Lucas finally set Brooke down. "Brooke, it wasn't what you thought."

"I've heard that before."

"Peyton pulled another crazy bitch move and was threatening to call Chris Keller to Tree Hill for a paternity test," Lucas rushed out. "I was trying to talk her out of it to save you the stress, Brooke, that was it. I promise you."

Brooke stepped back, her expression shocked.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Brooke. I think she might still do it, but I tried, pretty girl, I promise. I didn't even know it was her when I answered the phone, she had blocked her number."

Brooke breathed out shakily. "Okay. I believe you."

"Do you really?"

"Yeah," Brooke said, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his neck. "Let's get Drunk Haley and my shoes and get out of here, please."

"Of course," he said, leading her back inside, safely tucked under his arm.

Lucas stared down at the top of her head and wanted to hit something as he saw the ashen expression on her face. It seemed that no matter what he did, he couldn't protect her from anything. Not from his father or from Peyton, at least. He vowed that as soon as they returned to Tree Hill, he was going to deal with both problems. Peyton was going to be put in her place once and for all, and he was going to find Dan if it was the last thing he did.


	10. Skinny Love

When Brooke awoke the next morning, she rolled over to shake Lucas awake, only to find him gone. In his place was a purple envelope and a framed photograph. Brooke grinned, confused. She had never seen the picture before. Brooke was asleep, her head in Lucas's lap. He was looking down at her, and his expression was purely adoring. She opened the envelope, reading his letter.

_Pretty Girl,_

_ Haley took this picture at the Sparkle Classic when you finally passed out in exhaustion. I remember sitting there, staring down at you, wondering how I had ended up so lucky despite everything. I was absolutely floored by your vivaciousness that day. How you just started doing the robot like a crazy person, throwing all the anxiety and stress away, just enjoying the moment. Dancing with you on that stage was the most fun I had in such a long time. _

_ You're also the only person I would ever dance in front of a crowd with or for. I would do anything for you, Brooke. I can't lie. You have me wrapped around your little finger. And I'll let you in on a little secret; I absolutely love it. _

_ Come on down in the kitchen when you read this. I'm making you pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream. _

_ Love,_

_ Lucas _

_P.S. If I know you, you're about to sprint down the stairs. _

She threw her head back and laughed, sprinting into the kitchen indeed. She skidded to a halt in the kitchen, practically salivating.

"I see you got my letter," Lucas chuckled, dropping a kiss to her forehead and pushing a plate to her. She grinned, digging in.

"Thanks Boyfriend," she managed to say with her mouth full. Lucas laughed, glad to see her happy after the events of the day before.

"You're very welcome, pretty girl."

"You're making me look bad, Luke," Nathan joked as he and Haley entered the kitchen.

"You better step it up," Haley teased. "You might get traded in the next draft."

"I'll take him," Brooke giggled. "If I remember correctly, he does have his strengths." She winked at him, causing him to groan.

"Shut up, Brooke."

"What? Haley knows!"

"Haley knows what?" Haley asked, looking between them suspiciously. Lucas was watching the scene with raised eyebrows.

Brooke rolled her green eyes. "That Nathan was my first kiss."

"What were you talking about?" Haley asked, eyes narrowed.

"Nothing," Nathan shrugged. "That. But it's an embarrassing story!"

"Is not!" Brooke exclaimed. "It was adorable."

"Do tell," Haley asked, sitting down beside her, ready for the gossip. Lucas chuckled at his brother's misfortune.

"Okay, so," Brooke began, gearing up. "We were twelve, and Nathan was crushing on Peyton. Like, really, really badly. And I was crushing on this guy a year older than us, who had mentioned that he might go out with me if I had at least kissed someone before, but he thought I was too inexperienced-"

"Weird thing to hear about Brooke Davis, huh?" Nathan joked.

"Shut it, hotshot. Anyway, I decided that, for Nathan to impress Peyton and for me to get this guy, we should kiss in front of pretty much everyone. So I managed a huge set up in the cafeteria, got ready for the big scene, and then Nathan here totally misses-"

Nathan groaned.

"He totally misses and somehow manages to kiss my earlobe. So of course, with my flair for the dramatic, I just grabbed him and kissed him square on the mouth. But no one forgot that I had to be the one to do it."

"Needless to say," Nathan blushed, "Peyton was not impressed. But Brooke did get the guy."

Brooke smirked. "You bet I did."

Lucas and Haley laughed, watching the two brunettes they loved so much interact. To some, their banter might seem almost flirty, but Lucas and Haley understood the underlying years of friendship that lead up to that point. So when Nathan grabbed Brooke to drag her outside for some kind of private conversation, Lucas and Haley settled in for one of their own.

"So how hungover are you?" Lucas laughed.

"It's pretty bad," Haley said tentatively. She pointed to the very faint bruise on his cheek. "I'm sorry about that, by the way."

Lucas shrugged it off. "It was a misunderstanding. By the way, you might want to work on that right hook."

"Oh please, you were impressed," Haley jokingly bragged. "You don't think Peyton will really do it, do you?"

"I think she would," Lucas shrugged. "I thought that she was going to be cool about all of this. I thought she was going to back out of our lives until Brooke was ready to forgive her. And Brooke almost did, until Peyton came up with her Chris Keller theory."

"You don't think she's right, do you?" Haley asked cautiously.

Lucas vehemently shook his head. "Absolutely not. Even the timing of it points to no. If he was the dad, she'd be showing by now."

Haley nodded in agreement. "I just really wish she didn't have to go through all this stress."

"Me too," Lucas agreed. "How are you and Nate? You guys were in that school too, ya know."

"Yeah," Haley said softly. "We're doing okay. Things have been a little weird at home. Ya know, we're just settling back in to our life and then pregnant Brooke moves in. Not that I'm mad about it or anything, but it can get a little crowded."

Lucas laughed in understanding. "If I have it my way, Brooke will be out of your hair very soon."

Haley raised her eyebrows. "What have you got planned?"

"Uncle Keith cosigned on a two bedroom apartment," Lucas beamed. "I've just been waiting until Brooke is ready to tell her about it-"

"That's great!" Haley exclaimed. "That's perfect, actually. It's a great way to show her that you're really serious about this."

Lucas smiled at his best friend's support before beginning to tell her all about it. Meanwhile, Nathan was talking to Brooke outside.

"I'm going to repropose to Haley," Nathan said, grinning.

"Oh my God, that is so romantic!" Brooke squealed. "Can I help plan the second wedding? I can make her dress!"

Nathan laughed. "You'll have to ask Haley about that. But I need you to help me."

"Of course!"

"I need your help stealing Haley's ring."

Brooke's face turned to one of determination.

"I've totally got this."

"It's not a death defying mission, Brooke."

Brooke pegged him with a stare. "Have you met your wife? Yes it is."

Nathan laughed at her, pulling her into a hug. "Thanks, Davis. You're really helping me out."

"Of course, Nate. If someone had told me two years ago that I'd be stealing a ring so that you could repropose to Haley James, after having all ready married her, I would have thrown up on them."

"Thrown up on them, Brooke?"

"Those ponchos were _really _bad."

Nathan threw his head back in a laugh. "They were endearing."

Brooke patted him on the chest. "Proof you really love her."

"Come on," Nathan said, leading her back into the house. "Let's get ready. We're gonna go boating today."

"Yay!" Brooke squealed, running into the house.

Lucas watched in amusement as his girlfriend rushed past him to their room.

"She's excited about the boat," Nathan said, kissing Haley on the head as she polished off the rest of Brooke's breakfast.

"She has this thing about wearing a bikini as many times as possible before she's showing," Haley explained.

Lucas smiled affectionately. "Only Brooke."

Haley nodded and the three split off to go get ready. Lucas entered the room to find Brooke throwing clothes all over the place.

"Crazy girl, what are you doing?"

"Looking for this," she said, holding up a red bikini triumphantly.

Lucas laughed. "Put it on," he said, tapping her butt as he walked by. "Or don't. Whichever."

Brooke laughed at his flirting. She had missed this. The easy flirtation between the two of them was something she hadn't wanted to lose.

As soon as the four friends finally made it on the boat, Brooke grinned, putting in a CD. Haley groaned as the opening of "Last Friday Night" came on.

"Too soon," Haley moaned, her head in her hands.

"I thought Drunk Haley was pure gold," Brooke winked, starting up the boat and driving it into the middle of the lake. They seemed to be the only ones out on the whole body of water.

"It is the middle of the week," Nathan explained after they anchored and Brooke pointed out that it was creepy. "And it's just the beginning of spring."

"True," Brooke agreed. She splayed out on her stomach on the back of the boat, smiling up at Lucas. He smiled back at her, kneeling down to give her a kiss. She suddenly smirked into his mouth, grabbing ahold of his shoulders. As soon as he realized what was happening, it was too late. She had all ready pitched him into the water.

When he surfaced, Brooke, Nathan, and Haley were all cracking up in laughter. He tried his best to keep a straight face as he grabbed the arm of an unsuspecting Haley, pulling her in after him.

She came up spluttering. "LUCAS!"

"Karma's a bitch," he grinned cheekily. She splashed him, causing Nathan to jump in after them. Brooke was the only one left dry.

"Oh no," Brooke warned as Lucas swam up with a sketchy grin. "No you don't."

"Oh, but I think I do!" Lucas exclaimed, yanking her in. She came up giggling, pulling him into a heated kiss as they tread water. She pulled away suddenly, a twinkle in her eye.

"Hales! This lake water might be bad for your ring," Brooke said suddenly. "Why don't you put it in my beach bag?"

"Good idea!" Haley exclaimed, swimming back on the boat and putting it in before hopping back in. Brooke and Nathan exchanged a look, Brooke winking at him.

The four friends spent the day splashing around in the lake, laughing and soaking up the sunshine. When Brooke finally got her chance to tan, she kept placing her hands nervously on her stomach.

"What's wrong babe?" Lucas asked from his spot beside her.

"My scar," she mumbled. "It's ugly."

"It is not," Lucas insisted, bending down to place a kiss on said scar. "It just shows that you're a fighter. And that's sexier than you can possibly imagine."

Her expression brightened as she kissed him. "Thanks, Luke. You always know what to say to make it better."

He smiled down at her. "I'm glad I can help, Brooke."

They stared at each other, quiet with their own thoughts, before Brooke suddenly rolled over into her beach bag. She rustled around with things and Lucas saw her put Haley's ring in the pocket of her own shorts.

"Brooke-"

"Sh!" she shushed. "I'll explain it later!"

"Okay," Lucas said slowly. He knew better than to ruin a Brooke Davis scheme.

They returned back to the house as the sun was setting. Nathan and Haley went inside to shower, and Lucas and Brooke stood on the patio, watching the watercolor sky above the lake.

"It's so beautiful," Brooke whispered.

"So are you."

"You're cheesy," she giggled.

"I'm told it's one of my better qualities."

"Someone's lying to you," she joked.

They entered the house to hear Haley start freaking out. "Where is my ring?"

Brooke smirked at Nathan, who fought to keep a straight face. He comforted his wife and smiled at Brooke over her head. Haley would be in for a surprise the next day.


	11. If It Hadn't Been For Love

It had been a very long time since Nathan Scott had been really, truly nervous. Today, though, had to be the most nervous he had ever been in his life. Sure, Haley was all ready his wife. Sure, she was absolutely going to say yes.

But Nathan Scott wanted his proposal to be absolutely perfect. He was reproposing because he wanted his wife to have that fairytale proposal that she had missed out on the first time. If he could change one thing about their relationship, it would the proposal and the wedding. He wanted her to have the perfect dream wedding.

He looked around at his set up. He had to admit, it looked pretty damn good. He had surrounded the patio in candles, vanilla scented, Haley's favorite. Brooke had helped him set up a very low table with dessert set out on it, also all of Haley's favorites. The table was surrounded with deep red pillows, and he had a boombox prepared to play their song.

"She's coming!" Brooke hissed urgently as she poked her head out. Lucas had taken her on a hike to get her out of the house while Brooke and Nathan set everything up.

"This one got us lost in the woods," Haley was laughing loudly. "Brooke? Nate? Where are you guys?"

"Hi!" Brooke exclaimed, her voice an octave higher with excitement. "I think Nate's out on the patio."

"Okay," Haley said, looking at her friend with suspiciously. She walked out onto the patio and gasp, her hand going over her mouth.

"Haley, I love you so much," Nathan said nervously. "We've been through more together in the last year and a half than I ever thought possible. A car accident, a national tour, a school shooting, my vindictive father, three absentee parents. And I honestly couldn't think of a better person to be beside me through all of it. You're so kind, smart, compassionate, and beautiful." He got down on one knee, smiling up at Haley, whose eyes were flooding with tears. "Will you do me the honor of marrying me? Again?"

"My ring!" Haley gasped. "Oh, of course. I love you."

She was openly crying now, laughing ecstatically as he twirled her, kissing her fully on the mouth.

"I'll let you enjoy your dessert," Brooke burst out, "but congratulations!"

Lucas was chuckling as he followed her onto the patio. They exchanged hugs before Lucas dragged his excited girlfriend back inside.

"I have my own little plan for you, pretty girl," he murmured into her hair.

"Oh really now?" Brooke asked, amused. "How did you manage to pull that one over on me?"

"I have my ways," he smirked. "Come on."

He covered Brooke's eyes as he opened the door to one of the extra rooms that neither couple was staying in.

"Luke," Brooke breathed. A fireplace was lit in the corner, and Lucas had made what looked like a little fort in the middle of the room. White sheets were held up by various pieces of furniture. The firelight reflected on the white sheets, giving off a beautiful glow.

"I don't have food or music like Nathan," Lucas teased, "or a ring for that matter. But I have a different present for you if you'll come sit with me."

Brooke nodded, speechless, and crawled into the little fort after Lucas. He pulled a box out from underneath one of the many blankets and pillows that lined the floor for comfort. He handed it to her, giving her a nervous little smile.

She slowly opened the cherry wood box, blinking in confusion. She began leafing through several photos of what looked like an apartment. She glanced back in the box, seeing a key. She looked up at Lucas, confusion and surprise written all over her features.

"You don't have to say anything yet," Lucas hurriedly said. "But I had my Uncle Keith cosign on an apartment for us. It has two bedrooms, for when the baby comes. I was thinking that you could move in now, if you want, and when you're ready, I could join you. It's furnished and everything, Keith gave me a lot of his old stuff from before he moved in with Ma-"

"Luke-"

"I know it's a pretty big step," Lucas continued to ramble. "But I really want this. Not just us. But for our family. I know it's still early, you're not even showing yet, but I want to make sure that our baby has a steady, solid home when the time comes, and-"

"Luke!" Brooke exclaimed, laughing tearfully. "I don't even know what to say. Thank you, so much. This is the best thing anyone has ever done for me."

Lucas let out a relieved breath, but Brooke wasn't finished.

"And I would really like it if you would join me."

Lucas couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. I really think we're gonna make it, the two of us. And I think it would be great to live together, not just for the baby, but because I love you. I like being around you. I like waking up next to you."

"God, Brooke," Lucas beamed, grabbing her into a kiss. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that."

"I'm glad to say it," Brooke mumbled with a cheeky little smile. She lay back, pulling him with her. "I love you, Lucas."

"I love you, too."

"How bout I show you how much?"

"Brooke-"

Brooke rolled her eyes. "You and your chivalry. I know what I'm doing, Lucas. I'm sure."

He smiled, shaking his head as he leaned down to capture her lips once again, giving in to her. Nearly an hour later, they lay together next to fire wrapped in one of the sheets from inside the fort. Brooke was leaning comfortably against his chest, his arms wrapped around her.

"Have you thought about names at all?" she asked suddenly, playing with his hands.

"A little bit," Lucas admitted. "I kind of like the name James for a boy."

Brooke screwed up her face in thought before smiling. "I really like that for a boy, actually."

"Always the tone of surprise."

"For a girl, I like April," she said firmly.

"That's pretty," Lucas agreed. "Plus, you were born in April."

Brooke smiled. "I hadn't even thought of that actually.'

"Of course you didn't," Lucas chuckled.

"Never the tone of surprise," Brooke teased.

Lucas grinned, kissing her temple. "I love you, pretty girl."

"I love you too, Boyfriend. Or maybe I should start calling you my baby daddy."

Lucas laughed fully. "That would go over well with my mom."

"She wouldn't be one to talk! She had a baby daddy too, once."

"Ew, Brooke."

"Just stating the facts."

"You're ridiculous."

"But you love it."

Silence.

"Yeah, can't argue that."

Brooke grinned at him, turning her head to kiss him. "It's been a crazy month or so, huh?"

"It really has."

"I knew Peyton had feelings for you," Brooke said out of the blue. "I could tell. Does that make me a horrible friend, for dating you anyway?"

"No, Brooke," Lucas said, spinning her in his arms so he could look her in the eyes. "If she had a problem with it, she should have told you. And that doesn't excuse what she did."

"I just feel like I should have done something differently," Brooke said, looking away.

"Hey," Lucas said gently, lifting her chin to look at him. "Are you happy?"

"Yeah," she whispered. "But-"

"But nothing. That's all that matters, Brooke."

"But at the expense of Peyton's happiness?"

"Sometimes you have to do things for yourself," Lucas explained. "If the shoe was on the other foot, Peyton wouldn't feel guilty at all. Your heart's too big, Brooke Davis."

"Is not," she grumbled, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Is too," he smiled, kissing the top of her head and smoothing her hair. "It's one of the many things I adore about you."

Meanwhile, Nathan and Haley's romantic dessesrt had turned into a wild, childish food fight.

"I'm going to get you for that, Haley James!" Nathan growled, leaping at her.

"Scott!" she giggled as he tickled her. "It's Haley James Scott, you fiend!"

"Not yet," he grinned cheekily, pinning her underneath him.

"My last name's still Scott even if we are re-engaged. You're crazy," she whispered, beaming.

"I know," he said. "But you made me that way."

"Oh really?"

"Mhm. I'm crazy for you, Haley James _Scott." _

"Lucky for you, I'm crazy for you, too, Nathan Scott."

"_Very _lucky for me," Nathan said, dropping a tender kiss to her lips. "I love you, Hales."

"I love you, too."

"You made everything better for me," he said, looking into her eyes deeply. "I wouldn't be the same man without you."

"I'm sure you would," Haley blushed.

"No, I wouldn't," Nathan argued. "I needed to meet someone worth changing for, someone that I wanted to be better for. And there's no one out there who could ever be as innately good as you. I wanted to change, I wanted to be someone who could be even close to good enough for someone as truly good as you."

Haley was tearing up again, pulling him down for another kiss.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to get in my pants."

Nathan laughed throatily as she flipped them over, straddling his waist. She leaned down to kiss him passionately. "And I love you, too."

He grinned into her mouth, letting himself succumb to the passion she was stirring up in him.

Nathan Scott was truly the luckiest man alive.


	12. Marchin On

The week at the cabin seemed to fly by. It wasn't long before the four returned to Tree Hill and Lucas and Brooke began to move their things in to their new apartment.

"It's even better in person!" Brooke squealed excitedly, clapping her hands joyfully. Lucas wrapped his arms around her from behind, kissing her on the cheek.

"Only the best for my pretty girl," he grinned. She smiled back at him.

"Thanks, baby daddy."

He laughed, twirling her around. "Finish unpacking, crazy girl."

"Will do," she giggled with a mock salute. He grinned as he watched her skip off to their bedroom to finish unpacking her clothes. It was so surreal to him, that in just a matter of about a month, he had nearly lost her. Now they were having a baby and were moving in together.

His phone began to ring, and he flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Well, well, hey Lucas Scott," came a cocky, arrogant voice. "It's The Keller."

"What do you want?" Lucas growled, his voice low.

"Well, I seem to have impregnated your woman. Sorry about that, by the way."

"No worries, because you didn't," was Lucas's furious reply. "The baby is mine. End of story."

"That's noble of you, Lucas, but if the kid is mine, I gotta know," Chris persisted.

"It isn't," Lucas said, struggling to keep his voice low. "You slept with Brooke almost four months ago. She'd be showing by now if it was yours."

Chris seemed to ponder this. "Dodged that bullet, didn't I?"

"Yeah, sure," Lucas said, annoyed. "Is that settled, then?"

"Good talk," Chris said before hanging up. Lucas took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

"What was that about?" Brooke asked curiously, popping out of their new room. "You seem mad."

"It was Keller," Lucas said gently, turning around to talk to her. "But I settled it. You don't need to worry about that anymore, babe."

Brooke smiled at him. "Thanks Broody."

"Of course," he said, kissing her. "Hey, would you mind if I go talk to Peyton? I think we need to have a chat."

Brooke thought about this for a second. "I think I need to be the one to do it."

"Brooke-"

"I won't stress myself out too much," Brooke promised. "But her problem is obviously with me, and I need to be the one to talk to her."

"Okay," Lucas said a little reluctantly. "Just be careful, okay?"

"I will," Brooke assured, kissing him softly. "Thanks for worrying about me."

"Both of you," Lucas corrected, putting his hand on her still flat stomach.

She smiled even bigger. "I'm gonna go now before I chicken out. I'll be home soon, okay?"

"I'll get us dinner," Lucas said, kissing her and wrapping his arms around her.

When Brooke drove up to Peyton's house, her stomach was in knots. She ran a hand through her hair before lifting her hand to knock on the door. The action felt strange. She hadn't knocked on Peyton's door since the second grade.

Peyton swung open the door, obviously surprised to see Brooke standing there. She crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "Hi."

"Hi Peyton," Brooke said quietly. "Can I talk to you?"

"Congratulations," Peyton said, but the word seemed strange in her cold voice. "On the baby."

"Look, Peyton, I'm sure this is hard for you. I know you love Lucas. And me having this baby pretty much ruins any plans you had of being with him-"

"It's not like you're married," Peyton said coolly. Brooke stumbled back a step, taken aback by her former best friend.

"You know what, that's true," Brooke said with a shrug. "But even if Lucas and I don't work out, he will never love someone that doesn't love his kid. So it looks like you're out of luck, Sawyer."

Peyton rolled her eyes. "Did you come here just to show off that you won, Brooke?"

"No," Brooke said with a humorless chuckle. "I came here with the intention of getting my best friend back, but it's pretty obvious that she's gone."

"Yeah, well, so is mine," Peyton scoffed. "Where did fun Brooke go? The one who would give up anything for me?"

"She was sick of losing," Brooke hissed. "She was sick of giving up everything for someone who wouldn't give up anything for her in return. She got tired of being selfless and decided to take a page out of her best friend's selfish book."

Peyton narrowed her eyes. "Get out of here, Brooke."

"No," Brooke said defiantly. "Not until you hear me out. You've heard it from Lucas and Nathan and even Haley, but not from me, and I think you need to hear it. I would have done anything for you, Peyton. I would have died for you in that school. I loved you more than I loved anyone else. More than Lucas, more than myself. But you could never return that favor. And even though it breaks my heart to do it, I have to walk away from you because I can't keep letting you walk all over me. I'll always care about you, Peyton. I'll never hate you. But I can't do this anymore."

Brooke took a deep breath through her tears and turned to walk away. She jumped with a scream when a potted plant broke on the sidewalk beside her.

"Shut up!" Peyton screamed from the porch. "You think you're perfect! Perfect clothes, perfect life, perfect boyfriend! You're not! You're just the party girl slut, Brooke Davis, and you shouldn't forget that."

"No," Brooke said, her tears flowing freely down her face now. "I was the girl stupid enough to give up ten years of her life for you, Peyton. Stay away from me and stay away from my family."

Brooke sped off in her little blue Bug, shuddering with her tears. She had secretly hoped, deep down, that Peyton would cry with remorse. That she would explain that it had been Jake she'd wanted all along and that it was all a huge mistake, that she hadn't meant it and she couldn't believe she could ever think she did. She wanted to hug her friend and have it all go away, but that was obviously not in the cards for the two of them.

For the first time since the second grade, Brooke Davis was truly separated irreparably from Peyton Sawyer. No more giggling on Peyton's orange bed spread. No more hoes over bros. No more tanning on the boat. No more cooking for Larry when he came home from sea.

Brooke had expected some kind of victory to come out of finally explaining to Peyton how truly twisted their friendship had been, but instead of victory, she simply felt pain. Despite everything Peyton had done, Brooke had held on to the hope that somewhere underneath the selfishness, she could unearth the real Peyton Sawyer. She had been wrong.

When she arrived back at the apartment, she was still in tears. Lucas was in the kitchen unpacking groceries when she arrived home.

"Hey you, I got us some food and-oh god, Brooke, are you okay?"

He went to her immediately, pulling her to him as she cried.

"Part of me hoped that things could go back to the way they were," Brooke sniffled. "But it ended with me telling her to stay away from me and my family. I used to think she was my family."

"It's okay, pretty girl," Lucas soothed. "It's hard to lose her, but you've gained a whole new family now. Me, the baby, Nathan, Haley...we're all here for you. Unconditionally, no matter what."

"You're right," Brooke said, wiping the rest of her tears away. "I can't waste my time grieving the loss of a person that I hardly even knew."

Lucas shook his head. "You can take all the time to grieve that you need, Brooke. You just have to remember that at the end of the day, there are people who love you."

Brooke smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Luke. I'm gonna go take a shower."

"Okay," Lucas said, kissing her. "I'll get started on dinner."

"How did I get so lucky?" Brooke grinned.

"My dad tried to kill you," Lucas joked. Brooke giggled and skipped off to the bathroom, leaving a smiling Lucas behind.

His smile slowly faded as he turned to the task at hand. His little joke was the truth. His father had tried to kill Brooke. He and Nathan had been looking in to the situation with Dan, trying to find out where he might have gone. For all of their many talents and skills, however, snooping didn't seem to be one of them. Neither of them could get in to his computers, either at his home or his office. He thought to the guns that he and Nathan had obtained at a pawn shop just days ago. He wondered if his brother had told Haley, because he certainly hadn't told Brooke.

As much as he wanted to believe that the police would find him and bring him to justice, Lucas couldn't help but worry about Brooke's safety in the meantime. The part of him that constantly felt as though he had never truly protected Brooke wanted to hunt down Dan and deliver justice himself. But the part of him that was growing up and maturing, preparing to become a father at eighteen, knew that his place was in his home, doing the best he could for his girlfriend and unborn child.

He heard Brooke singing from the shower, a song that he knew to be her and Peyton's song. Lucas quelled his thoughts on his father and his misdeeds; now was not the time to worry about that. He smiled as he had an idea.

"Hello?" came the voice on the other end of the phone.

"Hey, it's me. You and Nate wanna come to dinner at me and Brooke's apartment?"

"We were actually gonna go out to eat," Haley replied. "But you guys should come! Please! We could have a little double date, it'll be really fun!"

"I'll ask Brooke and text you," Lucas said, laughing at her enthusiasm. "She talked to Peyton today and it didn't go very well, I think she could use some friends right now."

"Do I have to kick some ass?" Haley asked, dead serious. Lucas laughed at his usually rule-abiding and polite best friend.

"No, Hales, I think Brooke managed to do that verbally today. I'll see you later."

Brooke was just as enthusiastic as Haley at the prospect of going on a double date with her best friends, and got ready at nearly record speed. Lucas smiled at her as she emerged from their room in a red sundress.

"You're gorgeous," he grinned, kissing her. "We're going to that little Italian place that you and Hales swear by."

"Yes!" Brooke squealed. "Come on, Broody, food time!"

During dinner, Lucas watched his girlfriend carefully. She was almost indistinguishable from the broken girl who had come home from a dramatic confrontation earlier. Her eyes weren't numb and devastated anymore. They were twinkling and sparkling as she teased her friends and him, giggling and gossiping. Haley and Brooke were excitedly discussing plans for the second wedding when Lucas had a sudden, startling thought.

He wanted to marry Brooke Davis.

And the most startling thing about the revelation was that it wasn't very startling at all.

**This update came slower than normal because I re-wrote the entire thing. I was originally going to have Brooke and Peyton make up, as I usually do in my stories, because I do like their friendship. But then I decided that it was about time that Brooke got to be selfish and happy, and the Peyton in this story wouldn't just suddenly apologize. So there ya have it, I hope you're happy with how it turned out! **


	13. Don't Go Down

**I am so sorry that it's been so long since I updated this story! I really let my writer's block get out of hand, but hopefully it'll pick up again now! I hope you all enjoy. **

That weekend, Lucas found himself standing out front of Peyton's door with his hands shoved in his pockets, waiting for her to open it. Brooke had barely managed to make it through school; she had been deeply upset every time she saw the blonde, and Lucas had done his best to comfort her, but despite his best efforts, she was inconsolable. Every time that she would walk by her former friend, Peyton would make some kind of underhanded comment beneath her breath, causing Brooke to tense up and oftentimes tear up. Lucas had finally had enough at the basketball game the night before, when his girlfriend had fled the gym in tears after the buzzer.

"Lucas!" Peyton breathed, beaming. "Hi! I didn't expect to see you here."

"I didn't expect to be here," Lucas said truthfully. "I told Brooke I would let her handle the situation with you, but obviously I need to step in."

The smile melted off of Peyton's face. "What do you mean?"

Lucas scoffed. "Peyton, do you think I'm deaf? I hear what you've been saying to her all week long. The comments about it being Keller's? The jibes about when you and I went behind her back? That's really unfair."

"What's unfair is her refusing to forgive me," Peyton argued. Lucas shook his head and pegged her with a knowing look.

"Peyton, cut the crap. I know what's been going on. Whatever feelings you have for me, you have to get over them. I'm sorry to be harsh, but that's the truth. I'm with Brooke. I'm going to be with Brooke forever, and we're having a baby. If you get your shit together now, you stand a chance at being a part of that child's life. If you don't, well…that really sucks, but you won't be seeing me or Brooke, or even Nathan and Haley."

"What, so she just gets everyone?"

"Yeah," Lucas shrugged. "She does. Because she never did anything but love both of us, Peyton. The way you've been treating her is completely out of line and I won't stand for it."

"Why would she send you here?" Peyton gasped, obviously hurt by his words. "That's a low blow, Lucas, you have to see that."

"She didn't send me here," Lucas corrected. "I came here on my own accord because I decided that someone needed to put you in your place. What you're doing is wrong. It's disgusting, to be honest with you. I'm the guy for Brooke Davis. And you're sure as hell not the girl for me. Until you get that through your head, leave her the hell alone."

With that, Lucas walked away from Peyton's house without glancing back, sliding his cell phone out of his pocket as he began to drive away. He dialed Nathan and waited patiently for his brother to answer.

"Hey man," Nathan said over the line. "I found some pretty good information, meet me at the Rivercourt and we'll talk about it."

"Sounds good," Lucas agreed. "See you soon."

He turned his car around and headed in the direction of the Rivercourt. When he got to the court, Nathan was waiting for him with a file in hand.

"You would really think the cops would have found this," Nathan said, holding up a sheet of paper.

"A plane ticket to New York?" Lucas asked, observing it.

"The receipt for one. It was purchased a few weeks before the shooting."

"So you think he knew he was going to have to run?"

"I'm really not sure," Nathan said. "The date of the flight was the day of the shooting. That could be coincidence, or it might not be. All I know is, that would have been the best way for him to get out of here before Keith could finish his report to the police. They were so busy investigating why Jimmy did it that they probably didn't get to Keith for hours."

Lucas raised his eyebrows, impressed with his brother's detective work. "You're a regular Sherlock, Nate."

"Yeah, yeah," Nathan said, brushing off his brother's teasing. "When are we going to New York?"

"It'll have to wait until next weekend," Lucas reasoned. "We can't miss anymore school and Brooke has an ultrasound appointment on Thursday."

"What a good dad," Nathan mocked, causing Lucas to punch him on the arm. "Speaking of your baby mama…"

Brooke was walking toward them nervously, arms wrapped around her waist protectively.

"What's wrong pretty girl?" Lucas asked immediately, going to pull her to him.

She stepped away from him, avoiding his touch. His eyes flashed with hurt and alarm. He listened intently as she answered him. "I got a really creepy phone call."

"What do you mean?" Nathan asked worriedly.

"I think it might have been Dan," she breathed, and she looked panicked now. "I was told to stay away from you guys or something was going to happen to me and the baby."

"Brooke," Lucas said firmly. "I don't want you to listen to whoever that was, okay? It may have been Dan, but we know where he is now. You're safe with us, I promise."

Brooke shook her head. "I can't let him hurt the baby, Lucas."

"Brooke," he pleaded. "Please. You know you're safer with me. You know I can protect you."

"And Haley and I can, too," Nathan argued. "We can bring an air mattress and crash in your second room for a while, okay? That way you know we're all safe. We have to stick together, Brooke."

She thought for a moment, obviously cautious, before finally smiling slowly. "Okay. Yeah. That sounds good. I'm just scared, you know?"

"Of course," Lucas said, pulling her to him. She didn't resist this time, and she melted in his arms. "We'll keep you safe, Cheery."

"Thanks, boyfriend," she whispered, kissing him softly. "Now how about we head home? Baby is hungry."

Lucas laughed. "Sure thing."

"I'll go home and let Hales know what's going on," Nathan said. "We'll call you before we come over."

"See you soon," Lucas said, leading his girlfriend to her car. He kissed her through her open window. "Drive safe, babe."

"I will," she beamed. "See you at home."

"See you at home," he grinned. Saying that never got old.

He was almost home, following his girlfriend's blue bug, before he suddenly laid on his horn, terrified. Just as Brooke crossed through the intersection, in which she had a green light, and SUV came out of nowhere, smashing into the side of her car before Lucas even had time to react.

He was out of the car in seconds, sprinting toward the carnage. His first instinct was to check on Brooke; for now, it didn't matter who hit her. All that mattered was her safety and the safety of the baby.

"BROOKE!" Lucas yelled, reaching her car quickly. He tried yanking her door open, but it was smashed shut.

"Luke," she groaned.

"Thank God," he breathed. "Stay awake, baby, okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Not really," Brooke said. "I hit my head on the steering wheel and the door smashed into my arm a little bit, but I don't think I'm stuck and I don't think anything is broken."

"Good," Lucas said, finally going to the passenger door and wrenching that one open. He reached in, unbuckling her and slowly removing her from the driver's seat. As he cradled her in his arms, relieved at knowing she was safe, he realized that he had yet to see the other driver. He set her down gently in his car before walking swiftly to the SUV. He slammed his fist on the hood when he realized there was nobody inside it.

He was fairly sure who had been responsible for the obviously intentional accident. He decided then and there that he and Nathan's trip to New York was going to have to be sooner rather than later.

He returned to the car determined to stay calm for Brooke's sake. Her pregnancy was fragile and he was set on not stressing her emotionally in any way.

"I'm gonna take you to the hospital to make sure you don't have a concussion, okay love?" he asked, gently rubbing her knee. "And I'm going to call the cops to clean this up."

"I called the cops while you were out there," she said feebly. "I really don't want to go to the hospital. Can't we just wait it out and see how I feel? If I get dizzy or something we can go."

"Okay," Lucas agreed, too furious to really think about what he was agreeing to. As soon as they got home, he situated Brooke on the couch with some popcorn, her current snack of choice, and dialed Nathan from the kitchen. "Nate, get here now. Someone hit Brooke's car on our way home."

"What the hell?" Nathan yelped. "Is she okay?"

'She's fine," Lucas insisted. "Just get here so you and I can discuss where to go from here."

'I'll be there in a minute," Nathan rushed. Lucas could hear him call to Haley before the line went dead. He sat down beside Brooke on the couch and tried his best to loosen the tension out of his body. All he could do now was wait for Nathan so their plan could begin. He looked down at the top of his girlfriend's head worriedly, dropping a gentle kiss to it. He was not going to let her or the precious life growing inside of her get hurt in any way. Even if it meant hurting his own father to prevent it.


	14. Shaking Paper

"You realize Haley and Brooke are going to kill us," Nathan said at four in the morning that night. The girls had fallen asleep, bundled up together on the floor, hours ago. Nathan and Lucas had sat up on the computer, researching and plotting.

"Yeah, well, I'd rather Brooke be alive to do that," Lucas muttered sarcastically, clicking the mouse and grinning. "Done."

"How are we sure he's in New York? Don't you think he was the one that hit Brooke with his car?"

Lucas shook his head. "I don't think Dan would have done that. I think he would have had someone else do his dirty work for him."

"That does sound like old Dan," Nathan agreed, "but new Dan seems to do his own dirty work. He didn't manipulate Jimmy into shooting at Keith; he did it himself."

Lucas considered this. "That is true. But I really don't think that it was him, I just feel in my gut that we've got to get to New York."

"If that's what you think," Nathan shrugged. He glanced over at their sleeping counterparts. "We'd better be back for Brooke's ultrasound or she'll dump your sorry ass."

Lucas flinched. "Good point. I hadn't thought of that."

Nathan glanced at the screen. "There. That flight. Leaves in five hours. We can be out of here before the girls wake up to save us from their wrath."

'Their wrath will only be worse by the time we get home."

Nathan shook his head in disagreement. "They'll cool down over the course of a few days. Plus, I'd rather deal with a screaming Haley over the phone."

Lucas laughed softly, agreeing. He finished purchasing their tickets before standing. "Okay, little brother, let's get packing."

The two set off into the dark about twenty minutes later, leaving a note behind and locking the door behind them.

"If we're both gone, how do we know they'll be safe?" Nathan asked suddenly from the airport, where they were waiting to board their plane.

Lucas opened his mouth to reply before closing it, obviously realizing his brother was right. He shook himself. "They'll be fine. We'll be distracting Dan."

Nathan nodded uncertainly and stood as their flight was called to board. Taking a deep breath, he hoisted his bag over his shoulder and followed his older brother onto the aircraft.

A year ago, no one would have ever believed that Nathan and Lucas Scott would be hunting down their father to protect Brooke Davis.

Nathan laughed a little to himself at the thought.

**Backfire **

"Lucas?" Brooke called out into the apartment. She and Haley had woken up to what appeared to be an empty apartment.

"What's this?" Haley asked, bringing a glass of orange juice to her lips as she picked up a slip of paper that was sitting on the counter. She choked suddenly, spraying juice everywhere and causing Brooke to look at her with concern.

"What's up, Hales?"

"Read this," Haley choked, handing Brooke the paper. The brunette took the note from her friend with a crinkled brow, her hazel eyes widening as she read.

_Hales and Brooke,_

_ Stay in the apartment and please keep all the doors locked. We're going to New York. We think that Dan is there. We love you both. Stay safe and don't open the door for anyone. _

_Love,_

_Lucas and Nathan _

_P.S. Brooke, there is plenty of food, so don't start yelling about how we've left you to starve. _

"What in the hell are they thinking?" Brooke exclaimed, setting it down and putting her head in her hands. "Do they want to get themselves killed or something?"

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Haley soothed uncertainly. "Dan is their dad, I doubt he'd do anything to hurt them." At Brooke's sardonic glance, Haley shook her head. "Who am I kidding? The man tried to murder his own brother."

"I'm going to kill him," Brooke said simply. "I can be a single mom. Karen did a great job at it."

Haley sighed, pulling Brooke into a hug. "They'll both be fine. We just have to believe that and do what they asked."

"I can't believe we're locked in this apartment," Brooke muttered unhappily. "There's nothing to do."

Three hours later, Haley was laying on the couch with an exasperated expression, listening to Brooke whine.

"I'm bored. And I want ice cream. And I all ready ate all of the ice cream."

"Yeah, Brooke, you did," Haley agreed monotonously.

"We're all ready watched all the seasons of the OC," Brooke continued. "Even after Marissa died, which, let's face it, made the show terrible."

"Mhm," Haley murmured, closing her eyes. Brooke heaved a deep sigh.

"Fine, Tutor Mom. Obviously the only thing to do here is nap."

Haley finally cracked a tired smile. "Thank you."

The girls crawled in Brooke and Lucas's bed, and Haley was asleep in minutes. Brooke, however, couldn't seem to turn her mind off, and she got up quietly, slowly sliding open the drawer to Lucas's nightstand. She pawed around, finding mostly typical things; his heart medication, a few papers for school, some pens and odds and ends. Then she found something that caused her eyes to narrow. She pulled it out, studying it closely.

It was a note, written in extremely familiar handwriting.

_Luke- _

_Meet me at the Rivercourt at five tomorrow. We need to talk. _

It suddenly occurred to Brooke that, despite the fact that they were in a different state, Lucas and Nathan still had cell phones. She grabbed her cell off of the dresser and typed a quick text message.

**Before I flip out, care to explain the Peyton note in your nightstand? **

She sat anxiously, staring at her phone, awaiting a response. When no response came after nearly an hour, she took in frustration and glanced at the clock. It was four thirty. Squaring her shoulders, she went to her closet and started to get ready. If Peyton had slipped him that note last night, someone would be there to meet her at the Rivercourt. It just wouldn't be the person she was expecting.

**Backfire **

Lucas and Nathan stood in Times Square, watching thousands of people blur around them.

"How the hell are we supposed to find him?" Lucas groaned. Nathan grinned, pulling out his phone.

"Easy," he said with a shrug. "I transferred his address book onto my phone. We find the numbers with a New York City area code, and then we match the numbers to locations. We search them, and we find him."

Lucas looked impressed. "Way to go, little bro."

"By three months!" Nathan exclaimed, leading the way into a coffee shop so they could begin their research.

Two hours later, and the boys had narrowed their search down to three locations. One was a small business, a restaurant of some kind. The other two were residences, and the brothers decided that staying together was their best option. Lucas pulled out his phone to glance at the time, realizing he had missed a text message from Brooke hours before.

"Shit," he groaned. "Brooke found a note from Peyton in my nightstand and I didn't see her text until now."

"What are you doing with a note from Peyton?" Nathan demanded.

Lucas sighed. "She slipped it under the door yesterday. I found it when I got Brooke home after the accident and I didn't want to upset her so I just stuffed it in my drawer."

Nathan let out a long whistle. "Well, you're screwed now."

Lucas flipped open his phone, glaring at his brother as he dialed his girlfriend. It went straight to voicemail and Lucas's blue eyes widened.

"Her phone is off."

"She probably shut it off because she's pissed at you," Nathan reasoned before opening his own phone to call his wife. "I'll call Haley and make sure they're safe."

"Nathan Scott!" came the frustrated voice of his wife. "What in the hell do you think you're playing at, running off like that?"

"Hales," Nathan said calmly, trying to keep the grin out of his voice. "Are you with Brooke?"

"No, as a matter of fact, I'm not!" Haley snapped. "I woke up from a nap and she had disappeared but there was some note from Peyton on the bed about the Rivercourt. I'm driving there right now."

"Damn it," Nathan cursed. "Okay, stay on the phone with me. Let me know when you're there."

"I'm just pulling up," Haley said, and he could hear her turn off the car and get out. Lucas was watching him worriedly, so he put the phone on speaker and placed it on the table between them.

"Hey!" Haley shouted. "What the hell is going on here?"

As Haley apparently ran over to the action, the boys could hear crying.

"I don't know!" came Peyton's urgent voice. "One second we were yelling at each other and the next she was on the ground!"

Lucas's blood ran cold as he heard the conversation between the girls. He could make out Brooke's sobs and he slammed his fist on the table.

"Haley, what's going on?" he managed to choke out.

"It's Brooke," Haley said anxiously. "I have to hang up Lucas, I need to call 911. I'll call you when I know what's going on."

There was a click, and the line went dead.


	15. Chasing Pavements

Nathan, determined to not have their trip be for nothing, forced Lucas to continue on with their search while they waited for news on Brooke.

"Sitting here won't make it better any faster," Nathan had reasoned, pulling Lucas up from the table and dragging him out to their first address. They walked several blocks before they found it. It was a small, fifties style diner, and behind the counter was an old man who looked like a feeble version of Whitey.

"Excuse me," Nathan said politely. "I was wondering if you've seen this man."

He held up a picture of Dan and watched the man's face closely for recognition. His eyes sparked and he nodded.

"That's Paul Anderson!" he exclaimed happily. "He's set to marry my daughter."

Nathan's blue eyes went wide and he exchanged a puzzled look with Lucas. "Do you know where we might be able to find him? We're his sons."

The old man blinked at them. "Well, I don't know about that. He's never mentioned any sons."

"We haven't seen him in years," Lucas cut in. "You know, family drama and all of that. But we heard he was getting married and we wanted to make amends before the big day."

The man considered this before nodding, pulling out an order pad and scrawling down an address and a name.

"He's been staying at my daughter's apartment," he explained. "Her name is Lisa Nelson. He might not be home but she should be."

"Thank you so much for you help, sir," Nathan said, reaching out to shake his hand. "We really, really appreciate it."

Nathan and Lucas left, staring at the paper as they made their way through the confusing bustle of NYC. Lucas's mind was elsewhere, though; he couldn't stop thinking about what might have happened to Brooke.

"It's gonna be okay," Nathan said suddenly, sensing his brother's worry. "Brooke's a fighter, you know that. Whatever's going on, she won't let anything happen to her or to the baby."

"I hope not," Lucas said uncertainly. "I don't know what I'd do without her, Nathan."

"You won't have to find out," Nathan assured. "Trust me, I've been trying to get rid of that girl since preschool. She's not one to give up, on anything."

Lucas cracked a smile and clapped his brother on the back. "You're right. Brooke's tough, she's gonna be okay. I just want to know what's going on, you know?"

"Yeah," Nathan agreed. "I'm sure Haley will call soon.

Meanwhile, in Tree Hill, Haley was sitting nervously at Brooke's bedside. Despite Peyton's pleading that she come with, Haley had demanded that the blonde stay far away from her best friend, not wanting to give the girl any more ammunition.

"Haley, I'm scared," Brooke whispered, reaching out a hand to grab onto her best friend.

"I know, Tigg," Haley said softly. "But you'll be okay. The test results should be back soon."

"What if I somehow hurt the baby?" Brooke whimpered.

"I'm sure the baby is just fine," Haley said with a gentle smile. "I promise."

Brooke nodded with a grim expression, leaning back onto her pillows as the doctor came in.

"Well, Miss Davis, it appears that you did exactly what I told you not to do," the doctor chastised. "You're not to be putting yourself under any stress, physically or emotionally. Your friend here told me that you were in a car accident yesterday."

"Yeah," Brooke said, playing with her hands.

"You should have come straight here," he admonished. "The collision and the emotional stress of whatever fight you were having when this happened contributed to some more tearing, Brooke."

"What does that mean?" Brooke asked nervously, her eyes snapping up to look at him.

"It means that your pregnancy is now at an even greater risk," he informed her. "You're finished with your first trimester in about a week, but unlike with most pregnancies, that's not going to lessen your risk factor. There's no way around it, Miss Davis, you're going to have to stay on bed rest for the most part."

"But I have school," Brooke said worriedly.

The doctor looked at her with pity. "You may have to do some form of home schooling, I'm afraid."

Brooke looked at Haley, teary eyed, as the doctor excused himself and left. "Not only did I make things worse but now I can't go to school?"

"It'll be okay, Tigger!" Haley exclaimed, attempting to remain optimistic. "You can do independent study, and if the work is confusing or hard you know that Lucas and I can both help you."

"Lucas!" Brooke exclaimed. "Have you called him?"

"Shoot, I forgot!" Haley exclaimed, pulling out her phone. "I'll do that now."

She dialed him and he answered on the first ring. "Hales! What's going on?"

"Everything is fine," Haley explained. "The accident yesterday and her fight with Peyton today caused a little more tearing, and she's now at a higher risk. The doctor told her she's going to have to stay on bed rest until the baby is born."

She heard Lucas groan. "But she's okay?"

"She's okay," Haley repeated. "They had to give her some medication for the pain, but she should be okay."

"Can I talk to her?" Lucas asked. "I have some things to explain."

"He wants to talk to you," Haley said, handing Brooke the phone, who took it nervously.

"Lucas, I am so sorry," were the first words out of her mouth.

"What? Why, pretty girl? You didn't do anything wrong."

"I should have come to the hospital after the accident, I wasn't thinking about the baby at all. I'm a horrible mother."

"Brooke, babe, I should have taken you," Lucas argued. "We were both really out of it from what had just happened. I just want to make sure you're okay now."

"I am," Brooke said, but he could hear that she was crying a little. "I'm fine."

"Brooke, come on."

"I am, really," she said, sniffling. "I'm just a little bit scared. I really don't want anything to happen to the baby."

"I know, neither do I," Lucas said gently. "So we've got to keep you calm, okay, Cheery?"

"Okay," she said, and he could practically hear her pouting. He smiled.

"And that note you found was nothing," Lucas continued. "She left it after the accident and I didn't want to upset you last night. There was no way I was going. I didn't see you text message until you were all ready there. I'm so sorry, Brooke."

"It's okay," she said. "But next time, tell me, okay?" 

'There won't be a next time," Lucas reassured her. "I promise."

"Thanks, boyfriend," she said with a smile. "I'm gonna go rest, okay? Good luck with your Dan hunting mission."

"We think we found him," he said. "I love you, Brooke. I'll be home as soon as I can, all right? Stay safe, please."

"I will, I love you, too. You boys stay safe, too."

She hung up and handed the phone to Haley before leaning back into her pillows and finally allowing herself to rest.

**Backfire**

As soon as Lisa Nelson opened the door to her apartment, she knew something strange was happening. It wasn't every day that two eighteen year old young men appeared at her doorstep. They both had striking blue eyes, and she recognized them immediately; they were extremely similar to those of her fiancé, Paul.

"Hi," the blonde one said, holding out a hand. "I'm Lucas, I'm looking for your fiancé."

"And I'm his brother Nathan," the brunette said, also shaking her hand. 

"I'm Lisa Nelson," she said, puzzled. "May I ask how you know Paul?"

"We're his sons," Lucas explained. "We haven't seen him in years. You know, typical family dysfunction."

"But we heard he was getting married," the brunette jumped in, "and we wanted to make amends before your big day. And we wanted to get a chance to meet you."

The woman smiled uncertainly. "Well, he's never mentioned having children."

"We've had a rocky relationship," Nathan explained. "May we come in?"

She nodded dimly, stepping aside. As soon as they walked in, the door to the bedroom opened and out stepped Dan Scott.


	16. Carolina Drama

Before Dan could even pretend that he was Paul Anderson, his face gave him away. It was apparent that Lucas and Nathan were, in fact, his sons. Lisa looked between them, obviously confused and shocked.

"Paul, I had no idea," she said.

Dan remained silent, not even glancing at his fiancé.

"So, Dan," Lucas said, his voice cool. "How long do you plan on running from what you did to my girlfriend?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Dan said quickly. "Who's Dan?"

"Cut the crap," Nathan spat. "This woman deserves to know that she's accidentally agreed to spending her life with an attempted murderer!"

Lisa gasped, her hands flying up to her mouth. Dan looked at her for only a moment before turning his attention back to his sons.

"Who's going to help you?" Dan grinned. "You haven't noticed how the police have been doing nothing?"

Nathan narrowed his eyes. "What did you do?"

"Everyone has their price, son."

"I am not your son," Nathan growled. "Who did you send to hit Brooke?"

Lisa was openly crying now, slowly taking in the bits and pieces of the story that her fiancé was no longer denying.

"I'm really sorry," the brunette boy said as he turned to her. "This man isn't who you think he is, and it's better that you know now. His name is Dan Scott, and he's from Tree Hill, North Carolina. He's our father, and he recently tried to murder my brother's pregnant girlfriend."

Lisa looked at Dan, eyes pleading for him to tell her that it wasn't true. He simply shook his head at her, expressionless. The woman gasped, running out of the door and slamming it.

"Stay the hell away from my girlfriend," Lucas growled. "Or I swear to you, I will make you pay."

"How are you going to do that, Lucas?" Dan mocked. "Are you going to write me a strongly worded letter?"

"No," Lucas said, his voice calm as he adopted a humorless grin. He reached into his pocket and slowly stretched his arm out, leveling it with Dan's chest. "I'll shoot you. And I won't miss."

Nathan looked between his brother and his father, the gun halfway between them. As much as he wanted to talk Lucas out of it, he knew that he would really only be calling his brother's buff. Lucas Scott was not a murderer; he never could be. So Nathan simply stood, crossed his arms, and smirked at the scene, waiting for his father to become powerless.

"You wouldn't," Dan hissed.

"I would," Lucas said, and Nathan was suddenly shocked by the crazed look that was dancing in Lucas's eyes.

"Luke-" Nathan warned.

"You tried to kill Brooke," Lucas growled. "You tried to kill her and my child."

"She's going to ruin your life!" Dan insisted, his voice now panicked. "She's going to bleed you for all you're worth. You're going to resent her and that kid forever."

"I'm not you, Dan," Lucas said, his voice calm now as he lowered his gun.

Dan smirked, but his victory was short lived as several NYPD officers swarmed the apartment, immediately taking Dan to the ground. Lucas knelt down beside his face, opening the gun up.

"It wasn't even loading," he chuckled. "You're an easier target than you think, Dan."

Lucas stood slowly, nodding at his brother. The boys followed a detective out of the apartment, ready to be questioned. More than anything, the boys were ready to go home.

**Backfire**

Lucas was thrilled to be coming through his apartment door nearly ten hours later. He entered to find Haley and Brooke curled up in their bed, Haley protectively holding on to Brooke's arm. Nathan joined him, smiling a little at the sight, before gently shaking his wife awake and giving her a soft kiss.

"Come on, Hales, it's time to go home," he whispered.

"Wha?"

He chuckled, lifting her into his arms. "We can go home now, sweetie. Dan's gone."

"What do you mean gone?" she murmured worriedly as her husband carried her out of the apartment.

"He's in federal custody for attempted murder, stalking, identity theft, and obstruction of justice," Nathan said. "His bail is six million dollars. He won't be getting out any time soon."

Haley smiled sleepily and nuzzled into his neck. "I'm glad you're safe."

"I'm glad you are, too," he smiled, carrying her to the car. He was ready to finally get some rest. After everything that had happened in the last two days, he couldn't wait to sleep beside his wife without any worries.

Back inside the apartment, Lucas stripped down and crawled into bed beside Brooke, pulling her to him gratefully and holding her tight. There had been hours of worrying over her, and it was a massive relief to be able to see her safe with his own two eyes.

"Luke?" she mumbled sleepily as she rolled over to face him. He smiled at her, placing a hand on her cheek.

"Hi, pretty girl. Go back to sleep."

"Is everything okay?"

"Everything's really okay now," Lucas assured, dropping a kiss to her forehead and rubbing his nose on hers. "Now you and the baby get some sleep, okay?"

"Okay," she murmured, curling up into his side and easily falling back into sleep. Lucas was surprised at how easy it was to slip into sleep after her, holding her to him tightly.

The next day, Lucas put together a quick lunch and sat with Brooke at the counter to discuss what had happened in the last two days.

"So you idiots just took off to New York?" his girlfriend asked, twirling pasta on her fork with a scolding expression.

"We had a plan!" Lucas yelped in defense.

"Oh please, that hardly counts as a plan," Brooke said with a roll of her eyes. "But go on."

He explained Dan's identity theft of a man named Paul Anderson, and his engagement. Brooke had been outraged, seemingly more concerned with him tricking an innocent woman into falling in love with him than she had been that he had tried to kill her. When he finished telling her the rest of the story, Brooke was appalled.

"Where did you get a gun?"

Lucas looked sheepish. "Um, Nate and I got it at a pawn shop in New York."

"I assume you left it there," she growled.

"Of course!" Lucas defended. "I promise."

She studied his eyes for a lie before nodding resolutely. "Good."

"Now what went on here?" Lucas asked worriedly. Brooke sighed.

"I was really bored, and Haley was asleep, so I started snooping around and I found that note from Peyton. I realized what time it was and I decided to go to the Rivercourt in case the note meant that night. When I got there, she was waiting, holding the necklace I gave you."

Lucas felt a lump rise in his throat as he realized what she was talking about. He flashed back to kissing Peyton, his necklace getting stuck in her hair before they could sleep together…

"She was talking all this nonsense about how that necklace came between you guys like I was always coming between you guys but that I'm just some distraction. And I lost it. I started screaming at her. I'd had enough. I said some things that were probably a little too mean, and then she pushed me-"

"She what?" Lucas hissed. Brooke's eyes widened, realizing her mistake.

"She um, she just kind of tapped me."

"When Haley found you and you were on the ground," Lucas said, struggling to keep his voice calm, "was it because Peyton pushed you?"

"Um…"

"Brooke. Tell me the truth."

"Yeah. She slapped me so I slapped her back and then she tackled me onto the ground."

Before she could say another word, Lucas had stood up and stormed out of the door, leaving Brooke sitting at the counter.

"Well, pasta, looks like it's just you and me," she said dejectedly. Half of her wanted to go chase after Lucas and prevent whatever drama was about to occur, but she had truly heeded her doctor's warning about bed rest, and so she settled herself on the couch with a magazine. There was nothing to do but wait for her boyfriend's return.

Lucas found Peyton on the Rivercourt, and she smiled as she stood to greet him.

"Hey Luke," she grinned. "I knew you'd show up eventually."

Her smile fell quickly when she took in the look on Lucas's face.

"You are so lucky that I would never hit a girl," Lucas seethed "because I'm telling you, Peyton, you make me want to."

"What?" she gasped, hurt.

"You seriously _hit _Brooke? Really, Peyton?"

"It's not what she told you, I'm sure she said something-"

"Did you or did you not slap her and push her to the ground?"

"You didn't hear what she was saying-"

"Did you or did you not?"

"Yeah."

"I honestly don't know what to do to make you understand," Lucas said helplessly. "I don't know what more I can say that will make you realize that I don't love you. That I wish I had never met you. That I never want to see your face or hear your voice or have anything to do with you ever again."

"Lucas," Peyton whimpered, in tears now.

"I don't know how to get through to you that what you're doing is horribly wrong. I don't know what to tell you. All I know is, if you come near her one more time, Peyton, I will file a restraining order. Stay the hell out of our lives."

He turned and walked away, leaving Peyton to crumble to the ground. He didn't look back.


	17. Howl

Brooke had been on bedrest for several weeks, and she was not enjoying it. No matter how many DVDs Haley brought her or how much Lucas tried to entertain her, she was simply bored. On top of that, she wasn't feeling very well at all. She hadn't felt well in days, but she didn't want to go telling Haley, Lucas, or even Nathan that. They'd have her at the emergency room in seconds, and it honestly didn't seem too bad. Just some usual sickness.

"Hey pretty girl," Lucas greeted as he came home from school. "What are you doing up?"

Brooke rolled her eyes. "I'm sitting on the couch, Lucas."

He laughed. "Fair enough. How was your day?"

"How do you think?" she asked sardonically. "How was the outside world?"

"It was okay," he shrugged. "I missed you."

She couldn't help but smile. "I missed you, too."

"I just don't think I tell you that enough," he said softly, sitting on the couch beside her and dropping a kiss to her forehead. "I really do miss you when you're not with me."

She sighed happily and rested her head in the crook of his neck. She let out a sudden hiss of air, and he looked at her, concerned.

"What's wrong?"

"Just a little cramping," she said. "The doctor said it's normal."

"Are you sure?"

"I think so," she said, suddenly a little uncertain. "It hurts a bit more than usual."

"I'll call the doctor."

"Luke, you don't-"

He silenced her with a look and she sighed, settling back down as he got up to call her doctor. She heard him ask a few questions before he came back in, sitting back down.

"If it doesn't stop in an hour or gets any worse, we're supposed to go in."

"Okay," she said tiredly. "I'm so exhausted."

"Which is shocking, seeing as you spend all day in bed," Lucas teased.

"Not by choice!" she pouted.

"I know," he chuckled, kissing her. "You're doing a good job, Brooke."

"At what?"

"Being a mom," he shrugged. "I know it's not easy to be cooped up all day. I know you miss your friends and cheer and all that."

"I even miss school," she mumbled. "I never thought I'd say that. Schoolwork is even more boring when you're doing it alone."

"I know," he said sympathetically. "I wish I could fix it for you, Brooke."

"It could be much worse," she reminded herself, snuggling into her boyfriend. "My life ain't half bad."

"That's good to know," he laughed.

They lay on the couch together for a while, talking about everything and nothing. Brooke tried her best to control her facial expression when twinges of pain would rock her abdomen. Finally, though, she couldn't help it.

"Luke, it's getting worse."

"Come on," he said, his brow furrowed with worry. "Let's go."

She reluctantly stood, finding she had to grip onto the arm of the couch to support her weight. She watched as Lucas tried to control his own face now, obviously trying to remain calm for her.

"I've got you," he said reassuringly, putting his arm around her waist and helping her walk to the car. Brooke tried to ignore that he seemed to be trying to reassure himself as well. They got in the car and she saw his knuckles turn white as he gripped the steering wheel.

"I'm sure it's nothing, Luke," she said quietly, putting her hand on his knee. He gave her a tight smile.

"Of course it is," he said. "Don't you worry about me."

She gave him her own half smile in return. They spent a minute or so listening to the music come out of the radio as a distraction before Brooke suddenly gasped, a hand over her mouth in a panic.

"What?" Lucas asked quickly.

"I'm bleeding," she whimpered in response, looking at the dark spot on her jeans. Lucas immediately put the pedal to the floor, breaking every speeding law in the area as he drove to the emergency room. Brooke was crying now, and his jaw tightened, trying to keep it together for her.

"Please call Haley," Brooke whispered as they pulled up to the hospital. "I really need Haley."

"I'll call her," he managed to choke out, parking the car and getting out to move to her side. He picked her up with some difficulty and carried her in.

"My girlfriend is a high-risk pregnancy and she's in pain and bleeding," he ground out, his eyes burning with the tears he had been managing to hold back thus far.

The nurse's eyes widened, and she shouted something to someone behind her. In second, Brooke was taken from his arms. He felt her slip from him as they pushed her behind the double doors. He ran a hand over his face and took a shaking breath, pulling out his phone to dial Haley as Brooke had asked.

"Hales," he said into the phone. "Brooke is at the hospital. She was in a lot of pain and then she started bleeding.."

"I'll be right there," Haley said immediately. "It's going to be okay, Lucas. I promise. I'll be right there."

"Okay," he mumbled. "Hurry."

"I will," she said softly. "Hang in there, buddy."

He sunk into a plastic chair with shaking hands, trying to steady himself before calling his mom and Keith. As soon as he said that Brooke was in the hospital, his mother snapped that she was on her way before hanging up. For now, all he could do was wait.

Haley came rushing in shortly after, disheveled and terrified. "Lucas!"

He stood to greet her and nearly collapsed in her arms. It reminded him greatly of when Brooke had come to the hospital to wait with him after Nathan's accident and this made the tears finally fall right onto Haley's neck.

"Hey, she's going to be okay," Haley said, holding his face in her hands. "Brooke is a fighter and you know it."

"But what about the baby?" Lucas whimpered.

This seemed to quiet Haley, but the blonde looked at him square in the eye. "If anything happens to the baby, you will get through this together, okay?"

He nodded weakly and let her pull him into another hug. They sat back down in the uncomfortable chairs, linking hands as they waited.

"Where's Nate?"

"Practice," Haley said guiltily. "I didn't tell him. The game…"

"Brooke would want him at practice. He can come after," Lucas agreed.

Haley nodded quietly. Keith and Karen arrived next, and it took everything in Lucas not to break into sobs as his mother pulled him to her.

"Anybody here for Brooke Davis?" a nurse asked. They all stood eagerly, approaching her.

"She's asking for Haley?" the woman asked, and Haley's eyes widened.

"Luke, maybe you should go first," Haley said awkwardly.

"She wants you," he said calmly. "It's fine. Just be fast, okay?"

"Okay," she said with an encouraging smile. "I'll be back soon."

Haley approached the room she was directed to cautiously and with a pounding heart.

When she entered, Brooke had her back to the door. "Brooke?"

The brunette turned slowly, and just taking one look at her, Haley knew.

The baby was gone.

"Hales," Brooke whispered, her voice breaking. "Haley…"

"Oh, Brooke," Haley whispered back, walking quickly to the bed. She instantly laid beside her best friend, wrapping her arms around her. She felt Brooke's shoulders tremble before she finally began to cry.

Haley had never heard a human being cry that way. She was wailing, an almost animalistic sound, and it absolutely shattered the blonde's heart.

"Lucas is going to hate me," Brooke sobbed.

"Brooke!" Haley gasped, running a hand over Brooke's hair. "Brooke, Lucas loves you so much. He's going to be heartbroken about the baby just like you are…but he's not going to blame you."

"If I hadn't been so stupid.."

"Brooke, what did the doctor say happened?" Haley said sternly, untangling herself just enough to look Brooke in the face. She wiped her tears as Brooke began to speak slowly and shakily.

"He said that apparently they hadn't realized that where the baby had attached wasn't a good place or something. He…he said there's nothing I could have done.."

"Exactly, Brooke. Everything that's happened during your pregnancy…that's not why, okay? You cannot blame yourself. I know that that is so much easier said than done, but you can't, okay?"

"I'll try," Brooke whimpered. She started to cry again and Haley pulled her back into a warm embrace.

"I'll be here for you," Haley promised. "For absolutely anything you need, okay? But I need you to do something for me."

Brooke nodded, continuing to sob.

"Promise me you won't push Lucas away," Haley said. Brooke nodded vehemently through her tears. "That's my girl."

Brooke's sobs finally calmed into hiccups and Haley sighed deeply, squeezing her once.

"Brooke, Lucas is really worried…"

"Go get him," Brooke said instantly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Brooke said, licking her chapped lips before trapping the bottom one between her teeth. "He couldn't handle seeing what you just saw. But he needs to be here with me, too. This is his grief, too."

"Of course," Haley said. "Brooke, I am so proud of you. You are amazing. And one day, you will be a mom. And you'll be so, so fantastic at it. But for now, all you can do to get through this is be the strong, independent, stunningly fierce woman I've grown to love as a sister."

Brooke managed the tiniest watery smile at that. "Thank you, Haley. I love you."

"I love you too, Brooke."

Haley took a deep breath in the hall, wiping the tears from her cheeks before walking back to the waiting room. Lucas was pacing directly outside of the doors.

"Luke, she's ready to see you now," Haley said. He took one look at her wringing hands and began to shake his head slowly.

"Haley…"

"Lucas," Haley said sadly. She couldn't tell him. It wasn't her place. But she could tell that he didn't need her to. He knew.

"Where is she?" he asked through gritted teeth. Tears were sparkling in his blue eyes and Haley felt her heart drop once again.

"She's down the hall, room 135," Haley whispered.

Without a word, he jogged through the doors and down the hall. He stopped outside the door and tried to collect himself, but found that he couldn't.

He walked in and found her sitting up with her knees drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. He watched her for a moment, her shoulders shaking with her muffled cries. He put a hand over his mouth to suppress his own cry, crouching down for a moment. He had never felt such physical pain from emotions before.

He finally rose back to his feet and approached the bed. He sat beside her and easily pulled her into his lap, gathering her into his arms and burying his face in her hair. She began to cry harder now, uncontrollably. He finally let himself sob whole heartedly as they gripped each other.

"I love you, Brooke," he managed to say. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," she cried. She was beginning to slowly calm. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry, too," Lucas said softly, kissing the tears off of her face. "But this is neither of our fault. There's no one to blame here."

She nodded, nuzzling herself back into his chest. "I don't think I can cry anymore."

Lucas nodded his agreement. "I've never cried like that in my life."

"Me either," she whispered back.

"Brooke, we're going to get through this, okay? We really will."

She nodded against his chest, closing her sore eyes and hoping to God that he was right.

**Okay, you all probably hate me right now. But I won't lie, I always planned on her losing the baby, either at the beginning or this way. I promise that I have a plan for this, though. There's going to be quite a bit more drama (probably about three or four more chapters' worth, maybe more) and I assure you our favorite couple will have a happy ending. Don't hate me too much! **


	18. Wrapped in Piano Strings

Brooke was released from the hospital the following morning. That night, Nathan had gone to the apartment with Lucas and helped his brother box up and conceal most of the baby stuff. Luckily there wasn't too much; Brooke had been only four months along, and so the young couple hadn't accumulated much yet.

When Haley arrived at the hospital to bring her brunette friend back to the apartment, she was shocked to find Peyton entering Brooke's room just before her. Haley jogged to enter right after her.

"What are you doing here?" Haley snarled at the curly blonde.

"I came to talk to Brooke," Peyton said back, equally snarky.

"It's fine," Brooke said softly from the bed. She was in her own sweat suit that Karen had brought her, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"It is not fine," Haley insisted. "Peyton, get the hell out of here. The last thing she needs right now is you upsetting her."

"I wanted to come offer my condolences."

"Oh, I'm sure you did," Haley growled. "I'm telling you, get out of here."

Peyton rolled her eyes. "Brooke, I'm sorry what happened to you. If you need anything, let me know."

Brooke watched her go with empty hazel eyes, and Haley sat beside her. She wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into her side.

"Sorry," Haley apologized. "I shouldn't have done that. If you want to talk to her, I can bring her back…"

"No," Brooke said with a shake of her head. "Look, Peyton was my best friend for ten years. But when push came to shove, she just didn't love me enough. I've only known you for a little over a year now, Hales, but every single time I have needed someone to have my back, you've been right behind me. I can't thank you enough for that."

"Hey, you've had my back just as much," Haley said. "With Rachel, and when Peyton was against me over the Nathan thing, and when I needed somewhere to live."

"We're the real hoes over bros," Brooke said softly, offering her fist to Haley, who smiled softly and bumped her fist with her own.

"You ready to go home?"

"I think so," Brooke said, standing slowly. Haley linked arms with her and the two walked out of the room to the car. Brooke was surprised to see her own blue bug.

"Nathan had our car," Haley said as an explanation. "Lucas gave me your keys."

Brooke nodded and got in the front seat, letting Haley drive back to the apartment. She was still on a bit of pain medication and figured she shouldn't be driving.

They entered the apartment, finding Nathan and Lucas struggling in the kitchen.

"What on earth are you boys doing?" Brooke said, and despite herself she laughed. Lucas, Nathan, and Haley all stared at her in blatant surprise. Even she was shocked; the heavy feeling in her chest had made it feel as though she'd never laugh again, but trust the Scott brothers to prove her wrong.

Nathan grinned at her. "We were gonna bake you a get well cake."

Lucas looked at her sheepishly. "Turns out we're a lot better at basketball than we are at baking."

"Your mother would be ashamed," Haley teased.

"I know," Lucas chuckled. He went over to Brooke and gave her a kiss. "I missed you last night."

"I missed you, too," she said, and he was surprised at how she instantly clung to him. He had been concerned when she had asked for Haley first instead of him at the hospital that she was going to push him away and put up her walls. Evidently, she was doing the opposite. He was glad that she was clinging on; this may have annoyed other boys his age, but given their history, it was a huge relief.

Haley smiled at the two before directing a comment at her blonde best friend. "So Peyton was at the hospital when I got there."

His arms tightened around Brooke instinctively, his eyes narrowing. "What?"

"Yeah, she showed up right when I did," Haley said.

"She said she wanted to talk to me," Brooke contributed. "She offered her condolences."

"I told her to stay away from you," Lucas growled.

"Lucas, it's fine," Brooke sighed. "Please don't go running off to confront her right now."

He looked down at her and searched her eyes. She really didn't seem too affected by Peyton, which was unsurprising. Given what she had just gone through, Peyton was probably the least of her worries. He nodded and dropped a kiss to the top of her head.

"If you're up for it, Davis, I was thinking we could go out today," Nathan suggested. His wife shot him a horrified look, but Brooke actually smiled a little.

"You know what, Nate, that sounds kinda good, actually."

"Let's go to the Rivercourt," Lucas suggested. "It's a nice day out."

"That sounds good," Brooke said. "I'm gonna take a bath and get dressed and then we'll go, okay?"

She went into the bathroom and closed the door, taking a deep breath. Something about this felt wrong. It felt wrong to smile and be happy. It felt wrong to enjoy the company of her friends when her baby was dead. Her baby was never going to get a chance to grow up and have moments like this, and it was absolutely tearing her apart to think about it.

At this time yesterday, she was pregnant. Now she wasn't.

She turned the water on for the bath, making sure it was scalding. She wanted it to burn. She stripped off her sweatsuit and looked in the mirror at her stomach, which was still the slightest bit bloated. She ran a hand over it and squeezed her eyes shut as they began to sting with tears. They were sore from crying all night long, and she saw the dark rings under her eyes when she opened then once again. She took a shaking breath and lowered herself into the full bath, letting the water submerge her.

The feeling of weightlessness was relieving. It felt good to feel suspended in time. She could almost pretend like she didn't exist.

She closed her eyes, leaning her head back and submerging herself completely in the hot water. She let herself float, trying to ignore the way that the feeling of weightlessness accompanied the feeling of emptiness in her abdomen. She kept her eyes screwed shut as she thought of it, of the life she had been sustaining but had failed to keep alive. She suddenly found herself not wanting to come up for air at all, and so she didn't. She fought the urge to resurface, the burning in her lungs feeling like some kind of sick freedom as she held herself down.

It seemed that her silence in the bathroom had unsettled her boyfriend. Brooke's baths usually involved some humming or singing, or at the very least the radio. She was always splashing around, unable to sit still, and there was usually an overwhelmingly scented candle or bubble bath wafting from underneath the door. The silence unnerved him, and so he knocked on the door gently.

"Brooke?"

Silence.

"Brooke?"

He knocked once more, trying to give her time if she was mourning on her own. He understood her need for it. But when she didn't answer at all, he used the strength of his shoulder to open the door.

"BROOKE!"

He yanked her out of the bath, her lips blue as he eyes snapped open. She coughed and spluttered, water drenching the front of his shirt. He grabbed a towel off of the rack as he heard Haley and Nathan's hurried footsteps. He wrapped her in it and looked back at them.

"I've got her. Why don't you guys go to the court, we'll see you guys tomorrow or something."

Haley nodded sadly, leading her husband away, eyes full of worry. Lucas closed his eyes tightly as Brooke shrank away from him into the corner of the bathroom.

"Brooke, you promised not to push me away," Lucas said softly, reaching out to brush her face. She was still struggling to catch her breath.

"I can't do this," she whispered. "It hurts too much."

"I know that it hurts," Lucas said. "I feel it, too. But drowning yourself isn't the answer. What would I do without you, huh, Brooke?"

It occurred to her how selfish she was being. She wasn't the only one who had lost something yesterday. Lucas had lost his child, too. And she was now making him worry that he would lose her, too. She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I'm really not being fair."

"No one is asking you to," Lucas said sympathetically. "Come on."

He gently helped her up and helped her get dressed in something comfortable before pulling back the bedsheets and laying with her.

"Should you see someone?" Lucas asked suddenly. "Like, a therapist?"

"What?" Brooke snapped.

"There's nothing wrong with it," Lucas rushed. "I saw one in middle school, when my Dan issues were bad. The bath thing really concerns me, Brooke, and I just want to make sure that I'm doing everything possible to take care of you right now."

Brooke considered this. "Okay. Yeah. Maybe I should go."

"Thank you," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I just want to be here for you, okay?"

"Okay," she sighed. She was suddenly exhausted. "Luke, you know I'm here for you, too, right?"

"I know," he smiled gently, looking down at her face. He rubbed his nose with hers. "We're there for each other."

She nodded resolutely, letting him capture her lips in a soft kiss. "I'm so tired."

The numb, empty tone to her voice made him shiver a little bit. It was so very unlike Brooke to sound that way, and it both broke his heart and terrified him.

"I know. Rest now, baby."

"Okay," she muttered. She nuzzled into him, her wet hair giving him goosebumps, and managed to drift off to sleep. Her boyfriend, however, didn't have the same luxury.

He wondered what business Peyton thought she had in going to the hospital. How dare she? He was glad that Brooke was too focused on her own grief to care about what her former friend's intentions might have been. But Lucas, despite his own grief, was also extremely scared for Brooke and her emotional state. Peyton's appearance at the hospital was sending off all kinds of warning bells in his head.

Just as he contemplated this, his phone began to ring, and he groaned as he read the name on the screen.

_Peyton. _

He quickly silenced it, attempting to keep Brooke from waking. He was successful, but now his thoughts were reeling even more.

An hour later, he still hadn't gotten any rest. Brooke awoke and smiled up at him sleepily.

"I can practically hear your gears turning."

"Peyton called," he mumbled to her, wanting to tell her immediately. There was no need for any more covering up or lying. They were past that.

"What did she want?" she asked, a slight pout gracing her features. He kissed her.

"I wouldn't know," he shrugged. "I ignored her."

Brooke sighed, settling back into the pillows. "Would it be crazy to forgive her?"

Lucas chose his words carefully. "I think you're in a really emotional place right now, and you should be careful about making any big decisions like that right now. She really hurt you a lot, and I don't know if she can really make up for everything that she did."

"You're right," Brooke agreed, rolling over into a more comfortable position but tugging his arm to rest over her. "You're always right, Broody."

"Nah," he smiled, kissing her neck.

She nodded as her only argument. He smiled as she lifted his hand to her lips, kissing it softly.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Brooke, I love you," Lucas said with conviction. "And we just went through something so tragic. But we're going through it together like we'll go through all of the rest of our tragedies, and after a while, those things won't be so tragic after all."

"You really think so? Do you think this hurt will get better?"

"I know it will," Lucas said softly as she turned to look at him. "Slowly but surely, that emptiness you feel will start to fill up. And before you know it, you'll feel full again. One morning you'll wake up and wonder when you started feeling happy again. And at first you'll feel bad about it. But just remember that our baby," he choked slightly on the word, "would want his or her amazing mom to be happy and to move on in due time."

Brooke finally managed a smile at that. Lucas Scott sure had a way with words.

"I'm so lucky."

"I am," Lucas argued with the little smile she loved so much.

"Nuh uh," she teased, kissing him. "How about we invite Haley and Nathan to dinner? I feel bad about earlier."

"Hey, don't feel bad," Lucas said immediately. "They're your friends and they love you. Everyone just wants to help you out right now."

"I know," she said with a grateful look in her eyes. "And I want them to come over so they can help me fill up a little more."

"You also want Haley to cook for you, don't you?" he asked knowingly. She giggled a little bit and the sound wasn't hollow like her previous laughter. He smiled his first full smile since Brooke had told him her pains were getting worse.

"Maybe a little bit of that, too."

And so that's what they did. Haley and Nathan came over, and Haley made her trademark mac and cheese. Then they settled in and watched some 80s classic movies, and by the time Brooke drifted off toward the end of Say Anything, she could swear that the tips of her toes felt a little bit fuller.


	19. The Scientist

If someone had told Haley James two years before that she would be standing on Peyton Sawyer's doorstep in defense of Brooke Davis, she'd have laughed in their face. But here she was, eighteen years old and Brooke Davis's best friend.

Peyton swung open the door and hardly concealed her glare. "Haley."

"Peyton," Haley said with a sarcastic little smile. "Nice to see you, too. We need to talk."

"If this is about Brooke, I don't get why she needs you and Lucas to fight her battles for her."

Haley shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you even think there has to be some battle between you and Brooke. After what she went through, you still expect her to be fighting you."

Peyton gave Haley a would-be pitiful stare. "This has been the hardest year of my life, and I needed my best friend. But she wasn't there, because of a boy."

"Because of _her _boy," Haley said fiercely, stepping up toward Peyton. "The boy you tried to take from her over and over and over again! Brooke got _shot _this year, Peyton! Because she was coming in that school after you! And then you kissed her boyfriend and ripped her whole life out from under her, and now she lost her baby. I'm not trying to undermine you losing Ellie and Jake this year, Peyton, but honestly, it looks to me like Brooke has had a harder few months than you've had a year. She needed her best friend, too, but you weren't there to step up, so I did."

"And you were just oh so willing," Peyton growled.

"Yeah," Haley said with a simple shrug. "I was. Because Brooke Davis is an amazing person who had my back when everyone, especially you, turned on me. So when you turned on her, it was only natural to be there for her, too. But here's what I'm here to say, and then I never plan on saying a single word to you again. Stay away from Brooke and stay away from Lucas. He doesn't need you calling him at every minute of the day when he's trying to put Brooke back together."

"Who's putting him back together?" Peyton challenged. "That's all I want. I want to help him because I know everyone else is focusing on Brooke."

"Brooke is helping him, too," Haley hissed. "Believe it or not, she saves him back. You always wanted him to save you, but you never actually gave anything in return. She gives everything she has, and right now, it isn't much, but it's more than enough for Lucas. Stay the hell away from them both, Peyton. I mean it."

The golden blonde walked away from the skinny girl she had once considered her friend, the girl she had once wanted her best friend to end up with. She wanted to hit herself, thinking of how badly she had misjudged Brooke and Peyton. For so long, she had assumed that the curly blonde was the misunderstood one of the pair, but she could now see, plain as day, that her bubbly brunette friend had been misunderstood by absolutely everyone, including the few people she let see her heart.

She was surprised as she walked off to find Lucas leaning against a mailbox a few houses down from Peyton's. He nodded his head toward the direction Haley was coming from.

"Looks like you beat me to the punch," Lucas grinned.

Haley smiled back. "Someone had to put her in her place. Bitchy Brooke doesn't seem like she wants to come out and play, so I felt like I ought to."

"She'd be glad," Lucas smiled, putting his arm around her as they continued to walk.

"Is she by herself?"

Lucas shook his head. "Nope, she's with some friend visiting from California."

Haley blinked in surprise. It had been nearly four weeks since the miscarriage, but Brooke didn't seem like she was doing much better than she had been before. "And she was up for that?"

"I guess so," Lucas shrugged. "It is a little weird, though, I don't remember her ever mentioning making any friends when she visited her parents."

"Me either," Haley replied. "Seems like something she would have mentioned, if they were close enough for her to come all the way here to see her."

Lucas shrugged. "Who knows. You know Brooke, she's a pretty closed book. You wanna get some lunch?"

"Sure," Haley nodded. They instinctively began their walk to Karen's Café, and both stopped in surprise upon seeing Brooke inside the window with an extremely attractive guy.

"The friend is a him," Lucas said slowly.

"A very cute him," Haley commented, causing Lucas to bat at her. "Hey! I'm just saying!"

"He's not cute," Lucas grumbled, leading the way into the restaurant. Haley sighed and shook her head at her best friend's jealousy, following him inside and hoping he wouldn't do anything stupid.

"Luke! Haley!" Brooke called out as soon as they walked in. "Come over here!"

They did, and she grinned at them. She looked more spirited than she had since she lost the baby, and this made Lucas's blue eyes narrow suspiciously at the boy sitting cross from his girlfriend.

"This is Julian," Brooke smiled. "He's my friend from L.A. Julian, this is Lucas and Haley."

"Nice to meet you," he grinned. "I've heard all about you two."

"Funny, we've never heard anything about you," Lucas said impulsively, causing Haley to step on his foot.

"That doesn't surprise me," Julian said, seemingly unaffected as he sent Brooke a teasing look. "Miss Secret Friends over here."

Brooke rolled her eyes. "You're a mathlete, Julian."

"And you're a cheerleader," he said snarkily, stealing a fry off of her plate. "Trust me, princess, I'm just as embarrassed of you as you are of me."

"I'll have you know I'm really good at math," Brooke said cockily, cut off by Haley's cough of disbelief. Julian looked at Haley with raised eyebrows.

"She's failing calculus," Haley said sheepishly.

"Throw me under the bus," Brooke mumbled.

Lucas simply stood in silent shock. It had been weeks since he had seen this cheerful, teasing side of Brooke that he loved so much. Despite his best efforts, it had been nearly impossible to draw even a genuine smile from her, let alone a laugh. She had been extremely sensitive to his teasing and never teased him back, but here she was with some guy he had never even heard of before, acting like everything was fine.

It was nearly stifling, being near them, and Brooke seemed to notice his sudden panic.

"What's wrong, Broody?"

"Oh god, she's nailed you with a bad nickname, too," Julian sighed mock-mournfully.

"I'm the nickname master!" Brooke protested, tossing a fry at him. He caught it and ate it. "I'm like, a nickname engineer."

"Sure, Molly Ringwald."

"Whatever, Anthony Michael Hall."

Lucas couldn't take it anymore. Brooke was being…Brooke. Flirty and sunny and bright. And he hadn't been able to get her to even smile.

Without a word, he walked away from Brooke, Haley, and Julian, ignoring Brooke's confused calling out.

"Luke? Where are you going?"

He found himself storming out of his mother's café, agitated and annoyed, mostly with himself. What could this Julian do that he seemed so incapable of? Sure, he had hurt Brooke a lot in the past, which was something he was not at all proud of. But lately, he had been so good to her. Ever since he got her back after the shooting, he hadn't had one slip up. Everything between them had been great until the miscarriage, but he understood why she wasn't necessarily happy. He wasn't happy either. He had just assumed that nothing could make her truly happy in the wake of their tragedy, but he supposed he had assumed wrong.

"Lucas!"

He turned in the parking lot to find Brooke jogging after him, and despite his urge to keep walking, he stopped, concerned for her health. She was still fragile from the miscarriage and had recently been put on antianxiety medication. The side effects were still hitting her, so he stopped and crossed his arms.

"What is up with you?" she asked, her head cocked to the side in apparent hurt and confusion.

"I could ask you the same thing," he bit out. "I've never even heard of this guy, Brooke, and all of a sudden he's in Tree Hill, and you're all fucking cheery again, when nothing I say or do can put even the smallest smile on your face these days."

"Forgive me for being heartbroken that I lost my child!" Brooke hissed.

"I do understand that, Brooke," Lucas said vehemently. "Trust me, I do. I am absolutely heartbroken, too. I am glad that you can be happy, I just don't understand why it can't be with me."

"Because everytime I look at you, I imagine what could have been!" Brooke burst out. "I see your eyes and I imagine what they would have looked like on our child's face, and I can't take it, Lucas! I can't even stand looking at you because all you do is remind me of my pain."

He stepped back, physically thrown back by her words. Her mouth opened to explain herself, her eyes closing as she realized the implications of what she had said. He shook his head as a strangled sound came out of his mouth. He turned around and started to walk away.

"Lucas!" Brooke called out. "Lucas!"

He turned again, stopping, cursing himself for being so weak to the pain in her voice.

"I didn't mean that," she said weakly.

"Yeah, you did," he replied softly. "I need to go, Brooke. I can't be around you right now."

"I need you, Lucas."

"No, you don't," he murmured. "Obviously I'm…I'm no good for you, anymore, Brooke."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know," he said. "But I think we both need to figure it out."

She finally forced herself to look up into his eyes and felt her heart stop at the look in the them. Not only was he tearing up, which Lucas very rarely ever did, but he looked at her as if it was the last time he was ever going to.

"I love you, Brooke. Just remember that, okay?"

And with those words, he started his walk once again, this time shutting his eyes and ears to her calls of his name.

Haley and Julian rushed out as soon as Lucas was out of sight, Brooke falling to her knees in the parking lot with her head on her knees.

"Brooke, sweetie, get up," Haley soothed, rubbing her back. "Let's get you home, okay?"

Brooke nodded weakly, simply accepting the help. She was in no state to drive her car, so she surrendered her keys to Haley.

"I'm sorry, Julian. I wanted your visit to be fun, and I'm just a mess."

"You called me here because you needed me," Julian said softly, raising a hand to touch her cheek. "I didn't expect to be having a particularly good time, Brooke."

She nodded and hugged him goodbye, promising to call him the next day before getting in her bug with Haley.

"Brooke, what happened?" the blonde asked softly as they pulled up to the apartment.

"Lucas was upset that he doesn't seem to make me happy anymore," Brooke mumbled, her head against the window. "He saw how I was acting with Julian and that's when it really started to bother him, cause it seemed like other people can make me happy. And I guess he's right. I have a hard time being around him because he reminds me of what I lost."

"I get that," Haley said understandingly. "But doesn't he also remind you of what you could have again?"

Brooke shrugged. "I can't even see that far into the future anymore."

"I just want you to see it from his perspective," Haley said gently. "Imagine if you saw him acting that way with another girl right now, after what you two have been through."

Brooke tried her best to picture it and found that her heart was constricting. "It would hurt. Really badly."

Haley nodded. "You wanna swing by the Rivercourt or what?"

Brooke scrunched up her face in thought before smirking a little bit. "I have a better idea."


End file.
